The Guardian has a pretty good article on djent and home metal production:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/mar/03/djent-metal-geeks
It includes comments from Misha Mansoor.
I definitely enjoy this music and I listen to a lot of the home produced works you’ll find on sites like sevenstring.org. Drewsif Stalin, Xerath…all of these groups producing music using digital tools and tons of self motivation. I’m starting late, but this is the kind of stuff that motivates me.
.