Tone library / Metallica / Creeping Death

Creeping Death amp settings — belcat 15G

The Metallica guitar tone for “Creeping Death”, dialed in for a belcat 15G with a Samick Greg Bennett Interceptor superstrat. Studio version, Ride the Lightning (1984)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC+ head (or borrowed JCM800 2203 modded by Jose Arredondo) into Marshall 4x12, ESP MX220/Gibson Explorer with bridge humbucker (EMG 81 or Gibson Dirty Fingers), no pedals

Tight, aggressive 80s thrash rhythm — high gain, scooped mids, dry, cutting treble with palm-mute definition

Amp settings — belcat 15G

BOOSToff

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	3
Bass	4
Treble	6
Master	5

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01MXR Distortion+

This is your primary gain source — amp gain stays low to keep the tone tight and defined

Output 7 · Distortion 8

Why these settings

The Belcat 15G is a basic solid-state practice amp with no mid control, presence, or reverb — it cannot produce high-gain thrash tones alone. Your MXR Distortion+ becomes the gain engine; amp gain dropped to 3 to prevent muddy stacking. Treble raised to 6 to compensate for the Distortion+'s naturally dark voicing and to get that 80s cut. The Samick's passive humbuckers are lower output than Hetfield's EMGs, so the Distortion+ is pushed harder (8) to compensate.

PRO TIPPalm-mute directly over the bridge saddles, not further up the strings — Hetfield's tight 'chunk' on this track comes from extremely precise right-hand placement and downpicking every note, never alternate picking the main riff.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a belcat 15G. ToneAdapt matches any song to whatever amp, guitar and pedals you own — first match is free.

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Song, artist and gear names are used to identify the tone being matched; ToneAdapt is not affiliated with or endorsed by the artists or manufacturers mentioned. Settings are AI-generated starting points — trust your ears.