Guitars



" Instrument (low-tuned) ; Preamp w/ Scooped midrangemoderate bass, concentrated high midrange, moderate highs
; optionalPower Amp ; optionalSpeaker cabinet ; optionalMicrophone into cheap preamp "

Something as subjective as music is nearly futile to attempt to tabulate into rigid formations of morals of appraised attributes to the positive or negative. But I have strong opinions that I feel are rooted in truth - about drums, guitars, bass, how each interact (component level facets), the greater sonic pictures they render, the manner in which these are presented in physical and virtual release forms, etcetera ad nauseum. To have stock in your own beliefs is almost the necessitator of your expression of them; this is why I'm not outspoken politically. While I have political feelings and stances removed from emotion, I am not secure in dictating these to parties which would be chastised.

Analog;
Articles associated with an adjectively "tight" saturated 90s idyllic assemblage of guitar equipment.
Digital;
Articles associated with flyblown, digital style tone in the direct-injection context.

Firstly, in the yet-unsignalled context, this guide is for identifying 'brutality' factors within the guitar's sequential construction, from the performance, the materials onboard the instrument, the initial and subsequent processes of preamplification, and the optional territories of amplification and microphone capture. There are a few classes of brutal guitar tone and playing; surely the articles lose resemblance to one another the further these values deviate. In the contexts I've ran with this past few years (what with a preference for direct guitar tones with cabinet simulation being handled through layers of equalization, recently automated with a standalone speaker simulator, engineered for the outlined purpose here), the key points have been rooted in the instrument, the quantity of gain with the digital processor unit selected (its being digital handles a few variables, those combining into a general tonal characteristic which I find desirable) and the option of applying a BBE Sonic Maximizer before, after or at all amid this last wing of consideration involving equalizers or the pushbutton EQ curves. This guide comes at a motionous period in my affinity and thusly my advices on the topics upholstered here. I recently have fallen into deep nostalgia for a particular sound aesthetic, created in the use of a particular amp head; the Marshall Valvestate 8100. The "Valvestate sound" is not the same as the tone which I have made synonymous with myself in small circles comprised of a few friends - it is defined through how it was used; by bands like Death, Prong, Meshuggah, Static-X. Death metal, Industrial groove metal, Progressive death metal, and Industrial nu metal. Each receipt of its use reveals the like-article; there is a high midrange priority across each, and it is leveraged to reinforce the rhythmic contents. Through rhythmic and performatively bifurcated layering in the way it is on Static-X's Wisconsin Death Trip, or melodic richness in a rhythmically demanding environment (Death's Individual Thought Patterns), or belligerent oscillations of staccato only ever interrupted with jazz hives (Meshuggah's Destroy Erase Improve), and/or finally the idiosyncratic textural profile to serve as the best match for a hookingly idiosyncratic riff machine in Prong's Tommy Victor for 1994's Cleansing, the Valvestate (8100 on each example save for Static-X; their version was 1996's VS100) dramatizes the ideas through what I feel is a flattening not of emotions (reference), but dynamics of the guitar- the resulting sound is very saturated and kept consistent even when volumes and attack is softened through a signature that is not what I can relate to experientially using direct digital rack units through EQs. Before I underscore how the mentioned bands coped with the Valvestate's void of variability, I'll continue detailing my guitar tone, what with its similar ectomical de-dynamicization. The bit about how the Valvestate produces a sound not dynamically varied - this is true for all distorted guitar sounds - but the Valvestate aesthetic, for its limitation of gain, contains some cartilagelike support in its, say, midrange which is a character not found in the examples of digital processors I've identified; on these processor types, the midrange is chalky and quick to be fully muted, with prejudice. On a Valvestate which demands a cabinet pairing, and non-parametric interface for managing the spectrum, you will squish down the mids only as far as the unit will allow, and via a presence knob, only as much as you can without a reciprocal blumpkining of a region of the spectrum you'd like unnaffected. So you are forced through the interface to be moderate, and the speaker cabinet's coloration conspires for you to produce something tenably musical. Anyway, those aforementioned bands used tactics like silence, the clean channel, tremolo, as well as genre-tropic sensibilities to combat stagnation.

Prong (Alternative Metal, Industrial Metal, Groove Metal, Thrash Metal)

Prong pictured, 1994. ; approximation of 'Prong' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Prong - likely the second most influential guitar band of the 1990s (behind Pantera). The diode guitar sound that defined the mid 90s is traceable to Prong's Tommy Victor, whose riffs and tone are like a metallification of ZZ Top.

Relevant to this meandering one-way discussion is the fact that more than a handful of the adopters of the Valvestate moved onto digital processing near the close of the 90s, when it was experiencing an advent. Their motivations are likely as simple as volumetric freedoms, being able to jam and record at levels as parable as silence; form factor is likely influential as well, as I can speak to my diminished enthusiasm for amplifiers when I began to play gigs, toting an amp head in addition to rack cases, experiencing the thought every second of which "why can't I throw this thing off a rooftop and get a power amp? Then I can just consolidate the articles into one box". Well, the willingness to redeem that "burden" for the sake of greater simplicity on one hand (the cumber of moving equipment is never fully defeated, but rack cases are not the end-all be-all; I've found that a means of consolidating cabinet, head and guitars (essentially roadcase with vault attach) is the closest one can get to ease) and desire to experience the articles which were used and weren't some impossibly minute ingredient like is the case so often with GAS- the Valvestate is evidently distinct.

Pivot to the role of 'affinities';
The presence of motivation from any region is useful - propulsion forward can be momentum-afforded or explosion-yeilded, cash-addled or passion-driven. So, if motivation is irrelevant (which it is), then the nerdier reasons for why guitarists in the present (and in the past - I watched an interview with Grady "Champion" and he revealed that Dimebag adopted the MXR EQ unit after seeing Eddie Van Halen had it. And nobody would use this to detract from the legitimacy of its placement) emulate purveyors of historical milestones (set in the PAST because that's where everything substancial is contained) of production, of moments within periods of music technology that guitar exists inside, are completely immune to whatever criticisms are flung their way. You wouldn't chastise a boy for being inspired by George Washington on the grounds of "why so OLD"; past a point, especially when commercial popularity never was the central focus or even a consideration in the emulated material itself or the broader genre of music, these musics are not applicable to the arguments of contemporary appeal and envelope pushing and modernity; its more akin to war re-enactment. So, without going so far as to say that nothing matters, the presence of discernment of materials and emulative drives is fine, so long as you're not cosplaying as the dude you think about when you pee.
Last Days Of Humanity (Goregrind, Noisy Goregrind, Gorenoise)

fig. A fig B Last Days Of Humanity pictured, 1996 (fig. A), 2004 (fig. B) ; approximation of 'Last Days Of Humanity' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Pictured above are members of the same band, Last Days Of Humanity. Anne Burgt, pictured first, was a brief member of LDOH, but the picture reveals something pertinent to this very discussion; a necessitous utilization of the Valvestate amp (probably around 1996). On top of being relevant on their merits of being one of the most brutal bands to have existed alone, their catalog reveals that they underwent similar evolution as that which I've narrated - being Analog Andys at the midpoint of the 90s and all but Digital Dannys by 2002 or so. Its a path echoed across the genre, Meshuggah coming to mind too, especially to this particular thought. Before I include their pictures, mind that the rigs utilized in Last Days Of Humanity's two-part example (the above elements) are firstly the Marshall Valvestate 8100 and then cabinet, and secondly a rackmount rig comprised of Line 6 POD Pro, Rocktron Velocity 250 and then cabinet (this second photo likely being taken around 2004).

Meshuggah (Progressive Death Metal, Progressive Metal, Djent)

fig. A fig. B fig. C Meshuggah pictured, 1996 (fig. A), 2002 (fig. B and C) ; approximation of 'Meshuggah' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Above now are three video frames of Meshuggah live, the first being of Frederik Thordendal during a 1996 liveshow, with a Marshall Valvestate 8100 behind him. The next two frames are of Marten Hagstrom and then Frederik Thordendal again, from their amateur performance taping at Ozzfest 2002, depicting a redundant rig of something like five or six Line 6 POD Pro units.

Malignancy (Brutal Death Metal, Technical Brutal Death Metal)

Malignancy pictured, 2003. ; approximation of 'Malignancy' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Above is a frame of Malignancy guitarist Ron Kachnic from their video for 2003's Cross Species Transmutation, depicting his rig behind him containing two Line 6 POD Pro units.

History (anecdotal);
Meanadering from Heavy metal to Nu metal, then firmly supplanted by Alternative/groove metal for a while, then becoming enamored with Industrial rock/metal guitar stylings, then back to harder Nu metal, then along to Death metal and the rings of Grindcore, Goregrind and Brutal death metal - this has been the path of a semi-linear gradation through the realms of metal. And in these movements, there have been tentacles repatriating back into regions like Industrial rock/ metal and Alternative/groove metal - this has contributed to a more individualistic sensibility in me I feel. The infiltration of non-strictly "Slam" tropes into my thinking and production mannerism have been the basis of disagreement with collaborative parties - each of them to some extent. But respecting guitars, a textural component of combined sound (never standalone), these contrarian gravities are more esoteric maybe - my refusal to adopt extended range is perhaps the most visible thing (I instead prefer much to tune a six string instrument to however low a register as desired, and I tend to desire the lowest reaches of anyone I know). Bits of idiosyncrasy spill in, what with my use of Phosphor Bronze acoustic guitar strings on electric guitar for low tuning advantage, or my tuning to fourths between each string (eliminating the G-to-B shift; B becomes C and E3 becomes F); I favor single-pickup instruments, "Gibson-style" nuts (basically, not the slim Fender iteration), and no binding (or at least, a subtle or discreet binding, not Creme or Black-on-white, or white-on-black - there are a few exceptions but generally I dislike binding).
Earlier in my musical identity, I was an amplifier "nerd"; the focus on Valvestate amps at this page's opening is a result of the obsessive tendency of me in scoping out the choice of amplifiers in bands I found compelling. The compositions and engineering of a sonic entity are separate, but tend to have maximal impact when both impress you or spur your curiousity/ upset your preconceptions nearly at once. And the tonality of a guitar is a carrier frequency via which the information enters your perception - there is no impression to be made when one or the other is impotent, but with especiality the tone. The virtuosity is irrelevant to effectiveness, and by the axis of effectiveness, what matters is an aesthetic harmony, in some way. Most often this entails adherence to timing, but other times, the aethetic betrayal of the metronome serves the appeal. Take Godflesh for example; the key influence to Fear Factory - curious, as Godflesh is not a clinical, exacting "guitar" band. What it does have going for it though is a synergy with the more disciplined, mechanical substrates - artificial drums and timing-sentient explosions in the distorted bass. Godflesh's guitar is a textural overlay that smears the austerist ink of the bold typefaces below, resulting in a shadowed sentence.

Godflesh (Industrial Metal, Alternative Metal)

Godflesh pictured, 1992. fig. A fig. B Drum machines used by Godflesh, 1988-1991 (fig. A), 1991-1993 (fig. B) ; approximation of 'Godflesh' guitar tonality / instrumentation. In a large way, Godflesh's guitars in isolation are "unremarkable" (though I disagree with that statement on its own; Justin Broadrick's project 'Final' sees the guitars abstracted in a wonderful way) - what makes them HEAVY is the satellite conditions and elements. Like a cherub standing in a wishing well filled with blood - abstracted, the cherub is harmless, without any connotations of sinisterity. Sat on the edge of a macabre fountain however, there materializes a plausibility of wickedness. Applied over a booming, industrious rebar grid of cold virtual percussion and this dense red dirt in G.C. Green's bass, is a digging bucket's fill of bird carcasses - poofs of white and black and a foreboding smell. A blanket of organic matter is what I find to be the closest approximation of the sum of Godflesh's guitar tone; the iron smell of blood reciprocating the obvious and chorus-borne metallic sheen you can hear on Streetcleaner through Songs Of Love And Hate. With the evolving setting (Brian Mantia's contributions to live and studio dynamics), some elements were amplified, plenty lost or halved, plenty introduced. For example, Songs Of Love And Hate has suggestions of grunge, a note you do not find elsewhere in the discography. Its the Grohl-esque energy of Brian Mantia which brings this into frame.

Fear Factory (Industrial Death Metal, Industrial Metal, Groove Metal)

Fear Factory pictured in-studio, 2001. ; approximation of 'Fear Factory' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Dino Cazares infused wristbreaking picking discipline to the fundamentally 1 Bit chromatics of industrial metal and had a modernizing effect on the metal guitar landscape with his work. Demanufacture is a landmark album which showcased a matured portrait of the fresh-faced Soul Of A New Machine ethos. Dystopian lyrics, alternatingly hoarse and pristine vocals, precise and technical drumming and a rhythmic competency not often seen at such a high level.

Bolt Thrower (Death Metal)

; approximation of 'Bolt Thrower' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Bolt Thrower - the great riff masters of the old school death metal scene. Shit talkers of Godflesh - but like in that internet history case of a pianist trash talking in the comments section of a fairly decent pianist who had taped himself performing a piece, being confronted with a sentiment of "well how about you record yourself and show the world how talented YOU are", and absolutely laying siege to the poor fuck who posted his cute little intermediate performance, only for a supremely unlikely and, frankly, immature yet gifted individual to come about and totally steal his thunder. I don't think Bolt Thrower to be superior to Godflesh, but it would be demoralizing to be put down by whomever threw such shade in Justin Broadrick's direction.

Mortician (Brutal Death Metal)

fig. A fig. B Mortician pictured, 1993 (fig. A), 2001 (fig. B). ; approximation of 'Mortician' guitar tonality / instrumentation. I discovered Mortician in 2020, around the time I was moving the then-quaint studio setup from the laundry room to the dining room of the house. Until that point, which was probably April 2020, I had been avoiding checking them out, having been of the incorrect assumption that they were death-n-roll or something equally preposterous. They are perhaps the most influential band to me, as its been off of my sustained penchant for the brand of mechanical death metal Mortician purveyed that I've embraced samplers, instead of continuing to be a freeware-championing utilitarian. While I still see the advantages spacially and resourcefully of using computers (laptops specifically) for music composition, I no longer uphold it above materials-afforded comfort.

Devourment (Slamming Brutal Death Metal)

Chris Andrews from Devourment pictured in 2021/2022. ; approximation of 'Devourment' guitar tonality / instrumentation. Devourment is the quintessential slam band, creating the most brutal driving lunge-pulse downswings conceivable. The tone is, without intending to sound like I'm recycling vocabulary used naively by others, is uncompromisingly gained-out, with ample high presence, a suggestion of high mid, absolutely zero middle freq. (that's taken care of by vocals and snare drum), enough low mid - rivalling what you might be able to correlate to Obituary's fuzzier tones from The End Complete, and lows where you'd expect a Mortician tone to be; ample.