Riff Tone

Broken, Beat & Scarred

Metallica

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarESP Iron Cross (James Hetfield signature, used on Death Magnetic sessions)

AmpDiezel VH4 (primary rhythm amp for Death Magnetic era, studio recording)

PickupsEMG JH Set (James Hetfield Signature active humbuckers)

Amp Settings

gain8

bass6

mid4

treble7

reverb1

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2008, Death Magnetic sessions. Rhythm guitar for riff section. Mesa/Boogie amps also used in blend, but Diezel VH4 is primary for riff tone per tech interviews. No evidence of pedals in studio chain for riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped midsaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationarticulate low endcrunchy attackclear note separationmodern metal clarityminimal ambiencefocused and dry

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, consistent alternate picking with tight palm muting and precise rhythm, making it challenging for most players.

Sources

Metallica Amp Settings (2026): James Hetfield Tone and EQ Guide - Guitar Chalk

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