Get this tone on your rig
Tuned to the exact gear you own
The recording
Recorded in 1982 at Impulse Studios in Wallsend, Venom captured the raw aggression of "Black Metal" in just seven days. Mantas played his bridge pickup on a vintage Gibson Flying V, feeding a Marshall JCM800 head into a 4×12 Marshall cabinet, while the rhythm tracks were double‑tracked and mixed with minimal processing, giving the guitars a harsh, abrasive edge.
Tuning Standard (E A D G B E)
Signal chain
Reported gear
1975 Gibson Flying V
Guitar
Mantas wielded a 1975 Gibson Flying V, slashing through the bridge pickup to carve the searing lead lines and chunky rhythm riffs on "Black Metal".
Marshall JCM800 100W Head
Amplifier
The signal was driven into a Marshall JCM800 100‑watt head, pushed into natural overdrive that gave the track its raw, aggressive crunch.
Marshall 1960 4×12 Cabinet
Cabinet
The amp's output was routed into a Marshall 1960 4×12 cabinet, capturing the thick low‑end and razor‑sharp top end that defines the album’s guitar sound.
Alternatives
Epiphone Flying V
Modern equivalent · for the 1975 Gibson Flying V
Marshall 1960 4×12 Cabinet (modern)
Modern equivalent · for the Marshall 1960 4×12 Cabinet
Marshall JCM800 reissue
Reissue · for the Marshall JCM800 100W Head
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Attack the strings with a hard pick and aggressive downstrokes to emulate Mantas’s ferocious attack.
- 2.Select the bridge pickup and set the tone knob near full for the bright, cutting edge heard on the track.
- 3.Crank the amp gain high and let the Marshall’s natural overdrive drive the tone without additional pedals.
- 4.Use tight palm‑muted chugs on the low strings while letting open strings ring for the song’s signature aggression.
Sources
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Black Metal guitar tone?
The available research points to 1975 Gibson Flying V into Marshall JCM800 100W Head. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Black Metal amp settings documented?
Exact historical knob positions are not reliably documented for most recordings. ToneTwin does not publish generated values as studio fact; it creates playable settings only for the amp and pedals a player selects.
What tuning is Black Metal in?
The current research record lists Standard (E A D G B E). ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Black Metal tone on my own gear?
Use the reported pickup, gain character, effects and signal-chain order as the target, then translate that target to your equipment. The matcher models controls for your selected rig rather than copying undocumented studio numbers.
Researched and reviewed by the ToneTwin Research Team.