No. 0391991·thrash-metal·3 blocks
Enter Sandman
Enter Sandman introduced a new, more polished Metallica rhythm sound. Hetfield's ESP through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IV with a scooped midrange and tight low end creates the punchy, percussive tone that defined the Black Album. Compared to the rawer Master of Puppets tone, Enter Sandman is more controlled, more produced, and heavier in the low end thanks to Bob Rock's production.
MetallicaSignal path · input → output · 5 blocksLive values · Fractal Axe-Fx
Guitar
ESP Explorer (custom)
Pickups
HH
Tuning
bridge
Strings
standard
Studio Comp
T808 OD
Cali IV Lead
4x12 Recto V30
Studio Comp
← Studio compressor
Threshold
-34dB
Ratio
2:1
Attack
38s
Release
200s
Mix
0.5
Level
0dB
T808 OD
← Tube Screamer
Drive
0
Tone
5
Level
8
Cali IV Lead
← Mesa Mark IV
Drive
7
Bass
3
Mid
3
Treble
7
Presence
6
MV
7
Engineer's note
File 039
Enter Sandman introduced a new, more polished Metallica rhythm sound. Hetfield's ESP through a Mesa/Boogie Mark IV with a scooped midrange and tight low end creates the punchy, percussive tone that defined the Black Album. Compared to the rawer Master of Puppets tone, Enter Sandman is more controlled, more produced, and heavier in the low end thanks to Bob Rock's production.
— James Hetfield
Sources · Verified by
Field notes for this tone
All field notes →Metallica Rhythm Tone Settings: Hetfield's Sound by Era
James Hetfield's rhythm tone broken down by album era: settings, gain structure, and how to dial it in on real amps and modelers.
Why Mesa Ships Rectifier Cabs With V30s (And When to Replace Them)
The Celestion V30 and the Mesa Dual Rectifier were made for each other, up to a point. Here's the frequency reason the pairing works, exactly where it breaks down for ultra-high-gain playing, and what to put in the cab instead.
How to Set Your Peavey 5150 for Bedroom Volume Without Losing the Tone
The 5150 sounds different at low volume, and there are specific reasons why. Here is the Resonance and Presence adjustment, gain structure, and effects loop trick that gets the tone back at neighbor-safe levels.
