GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Quintessence Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Darkthrone
Darkthrone · 1990s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Unknown model (likely cheap 1980s/1990s Japanese or Eastern European superstrat or Les Paul copy, exact model not confirmed for this recording)
Pickups
Likely stock passive humbuckers (exact model unknown)
Amp
Marshall Valvestate 8010 (solid state combo, likely used on this album)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1994. Sources suggest use of cheap solid state Marshall amps (Valvestate 8010) and direct-in/line-out recording. No evidence of HM-2 or RAT pedal on this album. No evidence of additional effects or pedals for the riff section.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass3
Gain9
Reverb0
Treble8
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- raw and abrasive
- buzzsaw-like distortion
- lo-fi and gritty
- cold and desolate
- thin low end
- piercing treble
- midrange bite
- uncompressed and harsh
- relentless intensity
- no ambience or spatial effects
Notes & Caveats
- Exact guitar model and pickup type for this recording are not confirmed in any source; inferred from era and genre.
- Amp model (Marshall Valvestate 8010) is suggested by forum users as likely, but not officially confirmed for 'Quintessence'.
- No evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; distortion is likely from amp only.
- Settings are estimated based on forum advice and typical black metal tones of the era: gain and treble maxed, bass nearly off.
- No time-based or modulation effects are audible or mentioned for the riff section.
- No pickup selector position is specified in sources; bridge pickup inferred based on tone.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Darkthrone's 'Quintessence' (from 'Panzerfaust', 1995) features a raw, high-gain, mid-scooped black metal tone typical of the era and band—likely a Boss HM-2 or similar pedal into a solid-state or cranked tube amp, with minimal bass and reverb, scooped mids, and biting treble/presence for that cold, abrasive sound.