Tone library / Metallica / The Four Horsemen

The Four Horsemen amp settings — Rocktile Scream-15

The Metallica guitar tone for “The Four Horsemen”, dialed in for a Rocktile Scream-15 with a Rocktile Warlock b.c rich. Studio version, Kill 'Em All (1983) — James Hetfield rhythm/riff tone

Original rig

Guitar: 1980 Gibson Flying V with humbuckers. Amp: Marshall JMP 2203 (modded 100W head), no pedals, amp-only distortion, dry signal.

Tight, aggressive thrash rhythm with scooped mids, razor-sharp treble, chunky palm-muted low end, high-gain saturation, dry and in-your-face

Amp settings — Rocktile Scream-15

CHANNELOverdrive

Knob	Setting (0–10)
Gain	9
Bass	6
Mid	2
Treble	7
Master	6

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Guitar

PICKUPbridge TONE8 VOLUME10

Signal chain

01High-Gain Distortion Pedal (e.g., Boss DS-1, Metal Zone, or similar)

RECOMMENDED — not currently owned. The Scream-15's overdrive channel cannot reach 80s thrash saturation. A distortion pedal is essential to get the tight, aggressive gain of the original Marshall JMP 2203. Run pedal into CLEAN channel with amp gain at 2-3 if purchased.

Level 7 · Tone 6 · Dist 7

Why these settings

The Rocktile Scream-15 is a small solid-state practice amp — its overdrive channel tops out at blues/crunch territory, nowhere near JMP 2203 thrash saturation. I've maxed usable gain (9) and scooped mids hard (2) to approximate the character, but the amp physically cannot deliver this tone alone. The Warlock's hot humbuckers help push the front end, matching the Flying V's output. Without a distortion pedal, expect a thinner, less saturated version.

PRO TIPHetfield's attack is everything — use strict downpicking with your palm anchored just behind the bridge saddles for that machine-gun chunk. Dig in hard on the pick attack; the tone lives in the right hand aggression, not just the gain.

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

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