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The recording
Raining Blood is the closing track of Slayer’s 1986 studio album Reign in Blood, recorded at Hit City West in Los Angeles with Rick Rubin producing and Andy Wallace engineering. Jeff Hanneman originated the main riff on a small recorder and drum-machine demo, while the released version expanded that foundation with Kerry King’s harmony guitars and lead material; the demo notably lacked those additions and the apocalyptic opening. The band was exceptionally rehearsed and recorded in a nearly live, no-computer process, while Rubin removed reverb and tightened the presentation. The result pairs an instantly recognizable descending riff with ominous opening texture, harmony, and a breakdown lead that makes the track’s climax feel both stark and explosive.
Tuning Eb standard
Signal chain · Riff
Showing the riff gear and shared equipment. Gear marked for the other part is not included.
Original gear
B.C. Rich Bich
Guitar · Jeff Hanneman · Riff
Hanneman used this guitar for the principal composition and recorded rhythm framework; the released master also adds King’s harmony material, but no recording-specific source assigns a separate guitar to each individual track.
Marshall JCM800 2203
Amp · Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King · Riff & solo
The two guitarists are reported to have used matching JCM800 2203 heads for the album’s dry, aggressive guitar sound, but the available evidence does not document which head appears on which individual Raining Blood overdub.
Marshall 4x12 cabinet
Cabinet · Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King · Riff & solo
Stock Marshall 4x12 cabinets are reported alongside the matching heads for both guitarists; individual cabinet or microphone assignment for this master is not documented.
Alternatives
Practical playing approach
Recreation guidance, not a claim about undocumented studio control positions.
- 1.Downpick the main descending chromatic riff with aggressive, locked-in precision.
- 2.Keep your amp gain set moderately high without sacrificing string definition.
- 3.Use bridge-position humbuckers to retain maximum bite and crunch.
Frequently asked questions
What gear was used for the Raining Blood guitar tone?
The available research points to B.C. Rich Bich into Marshall JCM800 2203. The full reported signal chain and evidence links are listed on this page.
Are the original Raining Blood 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 Raining Blood in?
The current research record lists Eb standard. ToneTwin keeps corrections open when reliable accounts disagree.
How do I recreate the Raining Blood 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.
Sources
