GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
Terrible Certainty Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Kreator
Kreator · 1980s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Jackson King V (likely custom, Mille Petrozza signature or similar 1987 model)
Pickups
Jackson J-50BC humbucker (bridge), J-100 single coil (neck/middle) or similar high-output passive humbucker
Amp
Marshall JCM800 2203 (100W head, typical for 1987 Kreator studio recordings)
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording, 1987. No evidence of modern amps (ENGL, Diezel, Mesa) being used on the original 'Terrible Certainty' album. Jackson King V with high-output humbucker into Marshall JCM800 is the most documented setup for Mille Petrozza in this era.
Amp Settings
Mids4
Bass5.5
Gain8
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive palm muting
- scooped mids
- high-gain saturation
- piercing and edgy
- crisp attack
- minimal ambience
- raw and visceral
- fast transient response
- focused low end
Notes & Caveats
- No direct source lists exact amp or pedal settings for 'Terrible Certainty' studio recording; settings estimated based on typical 1987 thrash metal Marshall JCM800 usage and genre conventions.
- Equipboard lists modern amps (ENGL, Diezel, Mesa) but these are not period-correct for 1987; Marshall JCM800 is the most likely amp for this era.
- No evidence of effects pedals or amp-based effects (delay, reverb, chorus, etc.) on the riff section; tone is dry and tight.
- Pickup model inferred from typical Jackson King V specs and era; not explicitly confirmed for this recording.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Kreator's 'Terrible Certainty' (1987) features classic 80s thrash tone: high gain, tight bass, heavily scooped mids, and biting treble/presence for clarity. The production is dry with little to no reverb, matching the era's German thrash style and Mille Petrozza's typical JCM800/Marshall-based setup.