lead guitar from “venus doom” by him | ToneDB
venus doom
him
lead guitar
Tone Profile
This lead guitar tone is dark, brooding, and heavily saturated, with a distinct gothic metal vibe. It features a thick, fuzzy distortion with a touch of reverb, creating a haunting and atmospheric sound.
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The Story
For 'Venus Doom' by HIM, guitarist Mikko 'Linde' Lindström reportedly used his ESP Eclipse equipped with humbuckers running through an ENGL Powerball amplifier. The signal chain included an Ibanez Tube Screamer for additional overdrive and saturation, plus a Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor to tame the high-gain noise. The album was produced by Hiili Hiilesmaa at Finnvox Studios in Helsinki.
Production Credits
Producer: Hiili Hiilesmaa
Engineer: Hiili Hiilesmaa
Recorded at: Finnvox Studios, Helsinki
Signal Chain
Instrument: ESP EclipseShop on Reverb
Amp: ENGL PowerballShop on Reverb
Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb
Processing: Ibanez Tube ScreamerShop on Reverb, Boss NS-2 Noise SuppressorShop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Start with a guitar equipped with humbucker pickups for a thick, saturated tone.
- Use an ENGL Powerball amplifier as a foundation for the tone and dial in a high-gain sound with a slightly scooped midrange.
- Add an Ibanez Tube Screamer to boost the signal and add additional saturation to the sound. Adjust the drive and tone controls to shape the character of the overdrive.
- Use a noise suppressor to eliminate excessive noise generated by the high-gain amplifier and overdrive pedal.
- Experiment with different microphone placements on the cabinet to capture the desired amount of aggression and warmth.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: ESP Eclipse
Similar body style and EMG pickups deliver the thick, saturated humbucker tone needed for this dark gothic metal sound
Alternative to: ENGL Powerball
The updated version of the exact amp used, maintaining the same brutal high-gain character and four-channel versatility
Alternative to: ENGL Powerball
Features authentic ENGL amp modeling with similar high-gain saturation and tonal characteristics at a fraction of the cost
Alternative to: Ibanez Tube Screamer
The classic reissue provides the same midrange boost and saturation used to push the Powerball into tighter, more focused distortion
Alternative to: Boss NS-2 Noise Suppressor
The same pedal used on the recording, still in production and essential for controlling noise with this high-gain setup
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