Freezing Moon amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR

The Mayhem guitar tone for “Freezing Moon”, dialed in for a Marshall DSL40CR with a Epiphone Slash Les Paul Standard. Studio version, De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas (1994)

Original rig

Marshall JCM800 / 50W Super Lead, Gibson Les Paul Custom, Boss HM-2 Heavy Metal pedal stacked into amp distortion

Thin, icy, brittle black metal distortion with scooped mids, aggressive treble, and raw chainsaw texture

Amp settings — Marshall DSL40CR

CHANNELUltra Gain (Red)BRIGHToffBOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	4
Mid	3
Treble	8
Presence	7
Reverb	0
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01Boss Metal Zone (MT-2)

The MT-2 substitutes for the HM-2's chainsaw character. Stack it INTO the amp's gain—do not run clean. The parametric mid should be scooped low to achieve the thin, icy Norwegian sound.

Level 7 · Low 3 · High 9 · Mid Freq 3 · Mid 2 · Dist 8

Why these settings

Your DSL40CR's Ultra Gain channel has more modern gain saturation than Euronymous's vintage Super Lead, so I pulled gain to 8 instead of dimed. The Slash Les Paul's Custombucker Alnico II pickups are slightly warmer than the original Les Paul Custom's hotter pickups, so treble stays high at 8 to preserve the brittle ice. Mids scooped to 3 is essential—black metal tone is defined by that thin, hollow midrange void.

PRO TIPPick aggressively right over the bridge pickup with minimal fretting-hand muting—black metal tremolo picking needs that raw, uncontrolled string attack to achieve the 'swarm of bees' texture. Let the open strings ring into the distortion for that cold, cavernous dissonance.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Marshall DSL40CR. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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