Riff Tone

dancing dead

Metallica

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarESP MX-220 (black finish)

AmpMesa/Boogie Mark IIC++

PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 60 (neck)

Amp Settings

gain9

bass3.5

mid1.5

treble6

reverb0

presence5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2003-2004 (St. Anger era). Gear and settings inferred from Metallica's typical studio rhythm setup for heavy riff sections; no direct sources for 'Dancing Dead' but settings are based on documented Metallica rhythm tones from the same era. Pickup choice and amp model are consistent with James Hetfield's rhythm setup. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussivescooped midsaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationarticulate pick attackheavy, tight low endcrisp, biting treblecompressed and focusedminimal ambiencedry, in-your-face rhythm

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting and precise alternate picking at a medium-fast tempo, with syncopated rhythms and consistent right-hand technique. While not extremely technical, it demands accuracy and stamina.

Sources

James Hetfield's guitar tone on Metallica's Sad But True

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