Tone library / Metallica / Seek and destroy

Seek and destroy amp settings — Cort MX30R

The Metallica guitar tone for “Seek and destroy”, dialed in for a Cort MX30R with a Harley Benton Standard series HB. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) — Main riff and rhythm tone

Original rig

Marshall 1959 Super Lead (Jose Arredondo modded), ProCo Rat, Electra Flying V (Seymour Duncan Invader bridge humbucker)

Aggressive, raw early-thrash bite with tight low-end crunch and prominent upper-mid rasp

Amp settings — Cort MX30R

CHANNELDistortion channel (select switch pushed in)

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	8
Bass	6
Mid	7
Treble	8
Reverb	1
Master	5

Don’t have a Cort MX30R? See this song on other amps → Match your own rig →

Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE10 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01ProCo Rat 2

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned; run in front of clean channel with amp gain at 2

Distortion 6 · Filter 5 · Volume 7

Why these settings

The Cort MX30R solid-state distortion channel provides the required saturation today, with gain set to 8 to mimic the Jose-modded Marshall crunch pushed by a Rat. Mids are kept forward at 7 with treble pushed to 8 to replicate the bright, cutting upper-mid rasp of James Hetfield's early thrash attack. If you acquire a Rat pedal later, switch the amp to the Clean channel and drop gain to 2 to use the pedal as your primary distortion source.

PRO TIPAnchor your palm strictly over the bridge saddle and pick with aggressive, strict downstrokes to replicate Hetfield's percussive, chugging attack without letting the low-end turn muddy on a solid-state combo.

Get this tone on your amp

These settings are for a Cort MX30R. 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.