Riff Tone

Becoming

Volbeat

Guitarmetal2010s+

Original Gear

GuitarGibson (exact model not specified, likely Les Paul or Explorer as per artist's usual studio choices)

AmpBoss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal into studio amp (exact amp model not specified, but Poulsen is known for Marshall JCM800 and Rob Caggiano for Fryette Sig:X; for this riff, the pedal is the defining element)

PickupsHumbuckers (exact model not specified, likely Gibson stock or Seymour Duncan as per Poulsen's usual setup)

Amp Settings

gain9

bass6

mid6

treble7.5

reverb0

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

distortionBoss Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal

Notes

Studio recording, 2021 (Servant of the Mind sessions). For the riff section of 'Becoming', Michael Poulsen explicitly used a Boss HM-2 pedal with all knobs maxed for the buzzsaw death metal tone. The amp is not specified for this part, but Poulsen's usual studio amps are Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain heads. The guitar is a Gibson with humbuckers, but the exact model is not confirmed for this track.

Tone Character(10)

buzzsaw distortionthick and saturatedtight palm-muted chugsaggressive and percussivedissonantdry, no reverbhigh outputScandinavian death metal influencecutting high endcompressed, focused attack

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, precise alternate picking and tight palm muting at a high tempo, demanding strong synchronization with the drums and aggressive picking technique typical of modern metal.

Sources

Volbeat’s Michael Poulsen and Rob Caggiano on chasing away pandemic anxiety with a Boss HM-2 and the rush of a new album | Guitar World Volbeat's guitar gear: Michael Poulsen & Rob Caggiano reveal all | Guitar World Volbeat's Michael Poulsen: “I’ve been asked if I want to have any guitar lessons, and I say, ‘No f**king way,’ because it might ruin what I’ve got” | Guitar World

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