Riff Tone
Bleak
Opeth
Guitarmetal2000s
Original Gear
GuitarPRS CE 24 (black, 1990s/early 2000s, used by Mikael Åkerfeldt for all of Blackwater Park)
AmpUnknown exact model; likely Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain British amp (no explicit source for amp model on this song/section, but Marshall is typical for Opeth in this era)
PickupsPRS HFS (bridge) and Vintage Bass (neck) humbuckers (stock on CE 24 of this era)
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass5.5
mid6
treble6.5
reverb1
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 2001. Guitar confirmed by Equipboard and interviews. Amp not explicitly confirmed for 'Bleak' riff, but Marshall is most likely based on era and genre. No evidence of pedals or effects used for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingsaturated high-gainclear and articulatefocused midrange punchmodern metal claritydynamic pick attackminimal ambiencearticulate note separationno audible modulation or delay
Difficulty
The main riff of 'Bleak' requires tight, aggressive palm muting, precise alternate picking, and the ability to execute complex, syncopated rhythm patterns at a medium-fast tempo, making it challenging for most intermediate players.
Sources
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Create Free AccountGuitarmetal2000s
Original Gear
GuitarPRS CE 24 (black, 1990s/early 2000s, used by Mikael Åkerfeldt for all of Blackwater Park)
AmpUnknown exact model; likely Marshall JCM800 or similar high-gain British amp (no explicit source for amp model on this song/section, but Marshall is typical for Opeth in this era)
PickupsPRS HFS (bridge) and Vintage Bass (neck) humbuckers (stock on CE 24 of this era)
Amp Settings
gain7.5
bass5.5
mid6
treble6.5
reverb1
presence6
Effects & Signal Chain
No effects used for this tone
Notes
Studio recording, 2001. Guitar confirmed by Equipboard and interviews. Amp not explicitly confirmed for 'Bleak' riff, but Marshall is most likely based on era and genre. No evidence of pedals or effects used for the main riff section.
Tone Character(10)
tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingsaturated high-gainclear and articulatefocused midrange punchmodern metal claritydynamic pick attackminimal ambiencearticulate note separationno audible modulation or delay
Difficulty
The main riff of 'Bleak' requires tight, aggressive palm muting, precise alternate picking, and the ability to execute complex, syncopated rhythm patterns at a medium-fast tempo, making it challenging for most intermediate players.
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