Blackest Eyes by Porcupine Tree (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

The Blackest Eyes by Porcupine Tree guitar tone is built on a Bad Cat Hot Cat 100, dialed in at gain 7.5/10, bass 6, mid 6, treble 7, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

Amp settings (0–10)

Community-researched baseline. Your rig is different — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials every knob for your specific guitar, amp and pickups.

How these settings compare

Measured against the 284 metal tones in our researched catalog: Gain 7.5 sits right around the metal average (7.3); mids at 6 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

Original gear

Guitar: Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 (likely 2001-2002 model, Drop D tuning) · Amp: Bad Cat Hot Cat 100

Studio recording for 'In Absentia' (2002). Main riff tracked with PRS Custom 24 into Bad Cat Hot Cat 100, Drop D tuning. No explicit pedal or effect evidence for the riff section; focus is on amp gain. No evidence of live/touring substitutions.

Gear used on this tone

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Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Paul Reed Smith Custom 24 (likely 2001-2002 model, Drop D tuning) → Bad Cat Hot Cat 100

Effects

PRS Custom 24 → Bad Cat Hot Cat 100 (minimal spring reverb, no pedals)

Amp effects: Reverb (spring, level 2)

Tone character

tight and percussive, aggressive and saturated, clear note definition, chunky palm-muted chugs, modern progressive metal rhythm, articulate attack, low-end punch, focused midrange, minimal ambience, studio clarity

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

straight, fast tempo, loud dynamics · high-gain distortion. This shapes how hard the amp is pushed and where the EQ sits for the Blackest Eyes sound.

Difficulty

4/5 · Riff

The riff requires precise, aggressive picking, tight palm muting, and rhythmic accuracy at a fast tempo, making it challenging for most intermediate players.

Worth knowing

• No explicit numeric amp settings found in sources; settings estimated based on typical Bad Cat Hot Cat 100 usage for modern prog metal and genre/era conventions.
• No direct evidence of pedals or effects used on the riff section; no delay, chorus, or modulation audible in the studio recording.
• Guitar model and amp confirmed by forum and era, but pickup selector position inferred from typical usage for heavy riffing.
• If new evidence emerges of pedal use or alternate amp settings, update accordingly.
• Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Steven Wilson used a Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier for 'Blackest Eyes,' dialing in a tight, modern high-gain sound with moderate mids (not scooped), slightly boosted treble and presence for articulation, and minimal reverb for a dry, punchy riff tone typical of early 2000s progressive metal/rock.

Blackest Eyes guitar tone — FAQ

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Sources

• Choosing a new high gain head | Page 4 | The Gear Page

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