rhythm guitar from “symphony of destruction” by megadeth | ToneDB
symphony of destruction
megadeth
rhythm guitar
Tone Profile
Aggressive, tight, and articulate high-gain rhythm guitar tone with a slightly scooped midrange, providing clarity and punch. It's a modern thrash metal sound that's both heavy and precise.
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The Story
The rhythm guitars on "Symphony of Destruction" were recorded at The Enterprise in Burbank, CA by producer Max Norman. The tone was achieved using a Jackson King V guitar with humbucker pickups through a Bogner Ecstasy amplifier, captured with a Shure SM57 microphone on the guitar cabinet. The modern thrash metal sound featured high gain settings with a slightly scooped midrange EQ to achieve the aggressive yet articulate character.
Production Credits
Producer: Max Norman
Engineer: Dave Mustaine
Recorded at: The Enterprise (Burbank, CA)
Signal Chain
Instrument: Jackson King VShop on Reverb
Amp: Bogner EcstasyShop on Reverb
Microphone: Shure SM57Shop on Reverb
Recreation Tips
- Use a guitar with high-output humbucker pickups to capture the aggressive tone of the original recording.
- Set your amp to a high-gain setting, but avoid excessive muddiness. Adjust the EQ to scoop the midrange frequencies slightly, emphasizing the bass and treble for a modern metal sound.
- Experiment with microphone placement on the cabinet to find the sweet spot that captures the amp's character.
- Use a noise gate to tighten up the sound and eliminate unwanted noise, especially during silent parts.
Original Gear
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Substitutions & Recommendations
Alternative to: Jackson King V
Budget Jackson with dual humbuckers that delivers the aggressive pickup output needed for this high-gain tone
Alternative to: Jackson King V
Modern Jackson with Seymour Duncan pickups that closely matches the original's high-output humbucker sound and sustain
Alternative to: Bogner Ecstasy
Current production version of the same amp model used on the recording with identical high-gain characteristics
Alternative to: Bogner Ecstasy
Plugin modeling that captures modern high-gain tones with the tight, articulate character similar to the Ecstasy
Alternative to: Bogner Ecstasy
Modern high-gain amp that delivers similar tight, aggressive tones with excellent note definition for thrash rhythm work
Sources
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