Afterlife

The recording

Synyster Gates delivers the lead lines using a high‑output humbucker in the bridge position, playing the main riff with aggressive down‑strokes and the intro arpeggios with the neck pickup for a smoother clean tone. The track is tuned to Drop D, allowing the heavy palm‑muted rhythm to lock tightly with the bass. A blended high‑gain stack of amplifiers provides the thick, saturated sound, while a subtle delay‑chorus adds ambience to the clean sections and solos.

Tuning Drop D (D A D G B E)·Strings Ernie Ball Skinny Top Heavy Bottom .010-.052

Reported gear

Schecter Synyster Gates Custom (early signature)

Guitar

Synyster Gates used his early signature Schecter model on the self‑titled album, employing the bridge SH‑8 Invader pickups for the aggressive tones on "Afterlife".

Boss NS‑2 Noise Suppressor

Noise Gate

Placed after the guitar to tame the high‑gain hiss of the amp stack on the recording of "Afterlife".

Bogner Uberschall (custom style)

Amp

Primary high‑gain amp for the self‑titled album; its tight, saturated distortion forms the core of the "Afterlife" lead tone.

Marshall JCM800 2203

Amp

Blended with the Bogner to add mid‑range bite and to provide the clean channel for the intro arpeggios in "Afterlife".

Visual Sound H2O

Delay & Chorus

Provides the subtle echo‑chorus ambience heard on the clean intro and lead passages of "Afterlife".

Alternatives

Schecter C‑1 Classic with SH‑8 pickups

Modern equivalent · for the Schecter Synyster Gates Custom (early signature)

$700 to 850

Marshall JCM800 (used)

Budget alternative · for the Marshall JCM800 2203

$400 to 600

Boss NS‑2 (used)

Budget alternative · for the Boss NS‑2 Noise Suppressor

$100 to 150

Visual Sound H2O (used)

Budget alternative · for the Visual Sound H2O

$80 to 120

Bogner Shiva (used)

Modern equivalent · for the Bogner Uberschall (custom style)

$1,200 to 1,600

Practical playing approach

Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.

1. 1.Select the bridge pickup for the main riff and roll the tone knob back slightly for tighter aggression.
2. 2.Switch to the neck pickup for the clean intro arpeggios to achieve a smoother tone.
3. 3.Tune the guitar to Drop D and use palm‑muted chugs to lock tightly with the bass.
4. 4.Employ fast alternate picking combined with legato runs for fluid solos.
5. 5.Add subtle vibrato and brief whammy‑bar dips to enhance expressive bends.