Tone library / Metallica / Harvester of sorrow

Harvester of sorrow amp settings — Blackstar Silverline special

The Metallica guitar tone for “Harvester of sorrow”, dialed in for a Blackstar Silverline special with a Spira X400 mwh. Studio version, ...And Justice for All (1988)

Original rig

Mesa/Boogie Mark IIC++ (Lead channel), ESP MX-220 'Eet Fuk' with EMG 81 (bridge), B&B/Aphex EQF-2 Parametric EQ in loop for extreme mid-scoop, Mesa Strategy 400 power amp, Marshall 1960B 4x12 cabs

Aggressive, tight, extremely scooped mids with razor-sharp treble attack and controlled low-end thump — the definitive 'dry' thrash tone

Amp settings — Blackstar Silverline special

CHANNELOD2 (high-gain channel), ISF set to 10 o'clock (American/scooped voicing)BOOSTon

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	7
Mid	2
Treble	7
Presence	4
Reverb	0
Master	6

Don’t have a Blackstar Silverline special? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

016-Band EQ (e.g., MXR M109S or Boss GE-7)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. Place in FX loop if available. This replicates Hetfield's B&B/Aphex parametric EQ mid-scoop. Cut 800Hz hard, boost lows and upper highs. Without this pedal, you get 70% of the tone from amp alone.

100Hz 6 · 200Hz 5 · 400Hz 3 · 800Hz 1 · 1.6kHz 4 · 3.2kHz 7 · Level 6

Why these settings

Your Spira X400 has passive humbuckers versus Hetfield's active EMG 81s — the EMGs are hotter and more compressed, so gain is pushed to 8 to compensate for lower output. The Blackstar ISF is critical here: set it toward American (CCW, around 10 o'clock) to get the scooped, tight voicing of the Mesa IIC++ rather than British warmth. Mids dropped to 2 replicates the extreme mid-cut, but without the external parametric EQ, the scoop won't be as surgical.

PRO TIPHetfield's tone lives in strict downpicking — no alternate picking on the main riff. Palm mute hard directly over the bridge saddles, not further up the strings, and use a stiff pick (Dunlop Tortex .88mm or heavier) angled slightly for maximum attack.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Blackstar Silverline special. 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.