GuitarDistortedRiff80% confidence
You Only Live Once Riff Guitar Tone Settings — Suicide Silence
Suicide Silence · 2010s+ · metal
studio
Original Recording
Guitar
ESP LTD SC-607B (Stephen Carpenter Signature 7-string, likely used by Chris Garza or Mark Heylmun for recording)
Pickups
EMG 81-7 (active humbucker, bridge position)
Amp
Mesa/Boogie JP-2C (John Petrucci Signature Head) into Mesa/Boogie 4x12 with Celestion V30s
Pickup Position
Bridge pickup
Studio recording for 'You Only Live Once' (The Black Crown, 2011). Mark Heylmun used the Mesa JP-2C for both rhythm and leads. Chris Garza used a Mesa Triple Rectifier with a Precision Drive pedal for his parts, but Mark's JP-2C is confirmed for the main riff. No overdrive or boost pedals were used for Mark's rhythm tone; signal was guitar straight into amp. Studio context, not live.
Amp Settings
Mids4.5
Bass6
Gain9
Reverb0
Treble7
Presence6.5
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Tone Character
- tight and percussive
- scooped mids
- aggressive palm muting
- high-gain saturation
- articulate low end
- crisp, cutting treble
- modern deathcore clarity
- punchy attack
- dry, in-your-face sound
- active pickup bite
Notes & Caveats
- No exact amp knob settings for 'You Only Live Once' found in sources; settings estimated based on Mesa JP-2C typical metal usage and genre/era conventions.
- Guitar model inferred from band/era and typical studio gear; not explicitly confirmed for this specific song, but ESP 7-strings with EMG 81-7s are standard for Suicide Silence in this period.
- No pedals or effects (including noise gate) were used for Mark Heylmun's main rhythm tone per source; all effects sections below reflect this.
- Chris Garza used a Precision Drive pedal into a Mesa Triple Rectifier for his parts, but Mark's JP-2C is confirmed for main riff. No evidence of Precision Drive or TS9 on Mark's rhythm track.
- No reverb or delay audible or mentioned for the riff section; tone is extremely dry and direct.
- Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Suicide Silence's 'You Only Live Once' features a very high-gain, modern deathcore tone with tight, controlled low end, slightly scooped but not hollow mids, and aggressive, clear highs. The presence is boosted for articulation, and the tone is extremely dry with no audible reverb, matching both the genre and the band's typical production style.