Tone Profile

Aggressive and articulate high-gain tone, with a tight low end and searing high frequencies. A modern thrash metal sound designed for fast riffing and soaring leads.

Gear

ESP Explorerinstrument

Reverb$1499Sweetwater

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+amp

ReverbSweetwater

Shure SM57microphone

ReverbSweetwater

Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808processing

Reverb$120Sweetwater

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Production Credits

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The lead guitar tone was achieved by blending direct input (DI) with the mic'd cabinet signal.
• EQ and compression were applied during mixing to further shape the tone.
• The guitar was likely recorded with a pick, using down-picking for a more aggressive attack.

Recreation Tips

• Start with an ESP Explorer style guitar into a Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ or similar high-gain amp.
• Use an Ibanez Tube Screamer to tighten the low end and add sustain.
• Blend a DI signal with the mic'd amp for added clarity.
• Use a dynamic microphone like a Shure SM57 close to the speaker cone.
• Experiment with different cabinet IRs to find one that sounds tight and aggressive.
• Use EQ to remove any muddiness in the low end and add presence in the high frequencies.
• Apply compression to even out the dynamics and add punch.

Original Gear

• ESP Explorer(guitar)
• Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+(amp)
• Shure SM57(mic)
• Ibanez Tube Screamer TS808(pedal)