GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
This Is Absolution Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Killswitch Engage
Killswitch Engage · 2000s · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
Caparison TAT Special (Adam Dutkiewicz signature) or ESP/LTD MH-1000 (Joel Stroetzel, likely studio rhythm guitar)
Pickups
Bare Knuckle Warpig (bridge, Adam); EMG 81/85 set (Joel, bridge position likely for rhythm)
Amp
Peavey 5150/6505 (studio, rhythm), possibly Framus Cobra or Dragon (layered/double-tracked); Marshall 1960A cab
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'As Daylight Dies' (2006); rhythm section/riff tone. Multiple amps likely layered, but Peavey 5150/6505 is the primary rhythm amp. No evidence of live rig or other amp models for this specific song's studio recording.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass6
Gain8.5
Reverb0
Treble6.5
Presence6.5
Effects Chain
- Noise gate (model unknown) · noise_gate
Guitar → Noise gate (likely) → Peavey 5150/6505 → Marshall 1960A cab
Tone Matcher
Match This Tone to Your Gear
Tell us your guitar and amp — we’ll calculate the exact settings translated to your specific rig.
Adapt to MY Gear →7-day free trial · Cancel anytime.
Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- aggressive palm muting
- scooped mids
- high-gain saturation
- articulate note separation
- crushing, heavy distortion
- modern metalcore clarity
- very dry (little to no reverb)
- fast, syncopated rhythm
- high-output bridge pickup attack
Notes & Caveats
- No official studio amp settings found; values estimated based on Peavey 5150/6505 typical metalcore usage and genre/era.
- Multiple amps may have been layered in studio (Framus, Peavey), but Peavey 5150/6505 is most consistently cited for rhythm tone.
- No direct evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; noise gate is likely but not confirmed for this specific recording.
- No reverb or time-based effects are audible or cited for the riff section; tone is very dry and tight.
- Guitar models inferred from band member gear for this album and forum discussions; exact track-by-track assignments not confirmed.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Killswitch Engage's 'This Is Absolution' features a very tight, modern metal tone with high gain, controlled low end, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and clear, articulate highs. Their typical use of Peavey 5150/6505 amps and EMG pickups in this era supports these settings, and the production is dry with no audible amp reverb.