Tone library / Metallica / Blackened

Blackened amp settings — Blackstar Silverline stereo deluxe

The Metallica guitar tone for “Blackened”, dialed in for a Blackstar Silverline stereo deluxe with a Epiphone Explorer 80s. Studio version, ...And Justice for All (1988), signature main riff

Original rig

Mesa Boogie Mark IIC++ / Quad Preamp slaved into Marshall power amps, Mesa 4x12 cabs, ESP MX-220 / Gibson Explorer with EMG 81 pickups, outboard parametric EQ for severe mid-scoop

Aggressive, razor-sharp thrash tone with hyper-scooped mids, punchy low-end thud, and biting top-end attack
Amp settings — Blackstar Silverline stereo deluxe
CHANNELClean Warm (Voice), 6L6 response, ISF set fully counter-clockwise (0/American)BRIGHToffBOOSToff
GAIN 2 BASS 7 MID 2 TREBLE 7 REVERB 0 MASTER 6
KnobSetting (0–10)
Gain2
Bass7
Mid2
Treble7
Reverb0
Master6
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Guitar
PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10
Signal chain

01Ibanez TS Mini

BOOST — cuts sub-bass flub and aggressively tightens the pick attack into the distortion pedal

Tone 7 · Level 9 · Overdrive 0

02Victory V1 Kraken Distortion

GAIN SOURCE — recreates the searing, modern 5150/Mesa-style high gain

Gain 8 · Bass 7 · Middle 2 · Treble 7 · Volume 6
Why these settings

The Victory V1 Kraken serves as the primary high-gain preamp to match the aggressive Mark IIC++ saturation, so the Silverline Deluxe is set to Clean Warm with low preamp gain to avoid muddy double-gain stacking. The TS Mini runs before the Kraken with zero overdrive and max level to replicate the razor-sharp, tight pick attack of active EMGs driving the front end. Keep the amp's ISF knob fully counter-clockwise and scoop the Kraken's mids to 2 to capture the album's signature V-curve parametric EQ. Clean intro: bypass the TS Mini and Kraken, engage the Boss CH-1.

PRO TIPStrict, relentless downpicking using heavy, sharp 1.14mm+ picks directly over the bridge pickup is essential to generating the signature percussive chug and mechanical string snap of this record.

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

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