Riff Tone

Blood and Thunder

Mastodon

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarGibson Les Paul Custom (Bill Kelliher) or Gibson Flying V (Brent Hinds)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203

PickupsSeymour Duncan JB (bridge, Bill Kelliher) or Gibson Dirty Fingers (bridge, Brent Hinds)

Amp Settings

gain7.5

bass5.5

mid5.5

treble7

reverb0

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

overdriveIbanez Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer

Notes

Studio recording, 2004. Gear based on interviews and era-specific rig rundowns for Leviathan sessions. Both Kelliher and Hinds tracked rhythm guitars; both used high-output humbuckers and Marshall JCM800 heads. No evidence of live/touring gear or later signature models used on this recording.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingsaturated high-gain cruncharticulate note separationchunky low endfocused midrange punchslightly scooped midsminimal ambiencefast attackno audible modulation or time-based effects

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, consistent alternate picking and tight palm muting at a high tempo, demanding precision and stamina typical of advanced metal rhythm guitar.

Sources

Interview: Mastodon's Brent Hinds & Bill Kelliher Settings for Mastodon sound - forum topic How to dial in the Leviathan guitar tone? : r/mastodonband Brent Hinds Tone : r/mastodonband

This tone has been researched 6 times by the community

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