Riff Tone

Dead Skin Mask

Slayer

Guitarmetal1990s

Original Gear

GuitarB.C. Rich Kerry King Signature V Generation 2

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 (Kerry King signature modded version likely used in studio)

PickupsEMG 81 (bridge), EMG 85 (neck), active humbuckers

Amp Settings

gain8.5

bass6

mid4

treble7.5

reverb0

presence6.5

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 1990, Seasons in the Abyss album. Guitar and amp confirmed for era and song by Premier Guitar and Equipboard. Kerry King used his signature B.C. Rich V with EMG pickups into a Marshall JCM800 head, with built-in EQ/boost. No evidence of additional pedals for the main riff section.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiverazor-sharp articulationscooped midsaggressive palm mutinghigh-gain saturationdry, focused soundmetallic edgeminimal ambiencefast attackcutting, modern thrash tone

Difficulty

The riff requires tight, aggressive palm muting and precise alternate picking at a moderate tempo, with syncopated rhythms and fast transitions, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

Rig Rundown: Slayer - Premier Guitar B.C. Rich Kerry King Signature V Generation 2 Guitar - Equipboard Looking for what gear/settings were used during SOH/SOTA era

This tone has been researched 9 times by the community

Create an account to adapt this tone to your gear

Create Free Account