Riff Tone

Forest

System Of A Down

Guitarmetal2000s

Original Gear

GuitarIbanez Iceman IC300 (likely, as used by Daron Malakian on Toxicity era recordings)

AmpMarshall JCM800 2203 head with Marshall 4x12 cabinet (studio recording, 2001 era)

PickupsStock Ibanez humbuckers (ceramic, high output, likely Powersound or V7/V8)

Amp Settings

gain8.5

bass6

mid5.5

treble7

reverb0

presence6

Effects & Signal Chain

No effects used for this tone

Notes

Studio recording, 2001. Daron Malakian used the Ibanez Iceman IC300 and Marshall JCM800 for most of Toxicity. No evidence of additional pedals or effects for the riff section. No evidence of live gear or alternate setups for this song's studio recording.

Tone Character(10)

tight and percussiveaggressive palm mutingscooped but present midshigh-gain saturationarticulate attackchunky low endminimal ambiencefocused, dry soundmodern metal clarityfast, staccato riffing

Difficulty

The riff requires fast, tight alternate picking with aggressive palm muting and precise timing, making it moderately challenging for intermediate players.

Sources

Daron Malakian's Scalding Hot Melting Pot - Premier Guitar

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