Tone Profile

Aggressive and raw high-gain lead guitar tone, with a slightly scooped midrange and sharp attack. It's characterized by a blend of clarity and darkness, fitting the black metal aesthetic.

Signal Chain

Recording Notes

• The guitar tone is likely achieved through a combination of high-gain amplification and careful microphone placement to capture the raw energy of the performance.
• Given Watain's black metal sound, the recording likely aims for a balance between clarity and a degree of rawness, without excessive polishing or post-processing.
• The use of a dynamic microphone like the SM57 close to the speaker cabinet is typical for capturing the direct and aggressive sound.

Recreation Tips

• Start with a Gibson Les Paul into a Marshall JCM800 amp.
• Use a Shure SM57 microphone close to the speaker cone, slightly off-axis.
• Dial in a high-gain tone with a slightly scooped midrange to achieve clarity and aggression.
• Adjust the EQ to cut some of the low-mid frequencies for a sharper attack.
• Avoid excessive post-processing to maintain the raw and unpolished black metal aesthetic.

Original Gear

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• Gibson Les PaulShop on Reverb(guitar)
• Marshall JCM800Shop on Reverb(amp)
• Shure SM57Shop on Reverb(mic)