🎸 Metal · 1990s

Freezing Moon by Mayhem (Riff · Distorted) — Guitar Tone

by Mayhem · riff

The Freezing Moon by Mayhem guitar tone is built on a Marshall JMP 1987 Mk II Super Lead 50w Head, dialed in at gain 8.5/10, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, presence 6.5 (community-researched baseline). Full breakdown below — then adapt every knob to your exact guitar and amp, free.

🎛️ These settings are for the original rig — re-dial them for YOUR amp in 10 seconds. Free, no signup →

Amp settings (0–10)

8.5

GAIN

5.5

BASS

4.5

MID

TREBLE

6.5

PRESENCE

REVERB

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 8.5 sits above the metal average (7.3) — a hotter, more saturated take than most metal tones; mids at 4.5 are right around average (5.2).

Guitar controls

8-9

VOLUME

5-7

TONE

Original gear

Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Standard (sunburst, late 1970s/early 1980s, as seen in studio photos) · Amp: Marshall JMP 1987 Mk II Super Lead 50w Head (1976-77, with master volume mod) into Marshall 1960BX 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12M Blackback speakers)

Studio recording for 'De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas' (1992-1993); settings estimated based on typical black metal/Marshall JMP usage and lack of explicit numeric values in sources. Pedal chain confirmed by Equipboard and photo evidence. No evidence of live-specific gear for this recording.

Gear used on this tone

🎚️ Marshall Plexi songs & tones →🎚️ Marshall songs & tones →🎚️ Gibson Les Paul songs & tones →🎚️ humbucker guitars songs & tones →🎚️ Tube Screamer songs & tones →🎚️ Ibanez RG songs & tones →

Don’t own this gear? GuitarToneAdapt re-creates the sound on the rig you actually have.

Pickups

Bridge pickup

Signal chain

Gibson Les Paul Standard (sunburst, late 1970s/early 1980s, as seen in studio photos) → Arion SMM-1 Metal Master → Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer → Marshall JMP 1987 Mk II Super Lead 50w Head (1976-77, with master volume mod) into Marshall 1960BX 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12M Blackback speakers)

Effects

distortion, overdrive

Tone character

razor-sharp attack, cold and brittle, scooped, harsh mids, tight and percussive, lo-fi, abrasive texture, buzzsaw-like saturation, minimal warmth, dry, uncompressed sound, aggressive palm muting, raw, unpolished character

Recording context

studio

How it’s played

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

Difficulty

3.5/5 · Riff

The riff requires consistent fast alternate picking and tight palm muting at a medium tempo, with little room for error due to the dry, exposed tone and tempo changes.

Worth knowing

No explicit numeric amp or pedal settings found in available sources; amp and pedal settings estimated based on typical Marshall JMP usage in early 1990s black metal and genre conventions.
Pedal order and models confirmed by multiple sources, but no studio photo of exact knob positions.
No evidence of amp reverb or built-in effects used; reverb set to 0.
Pickup choice inferred from typical black metal rhythm tone and listening to the recording.
No evidence of chorus, flanger, phaser, or modulation effects in the riff section; delay is not audible in the main riff, only in solo/lead sections.
Settings cross-referenced with genre and era conventions for accuracy. Mayhem's 'Freezing Moon' (De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas, early 90s) features a cold, scooped, high-gain black metal tone typical of Euronymous: extreme gain, tight low end, heavily scooped mids, and biting treble/presence for clarity. The production is very dry with no audible reverb, matching the raw, atmospheric aesthetic of early Norwegian black metal.

⚡ Same tone, YOUR gear — re-dials the gain & EQ for your amp and pickups, free →

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Freezing Moon guitar tone — FAQ

What amp settings do I need for the Freezing Moon guitar tone?

Set your amp to roughly: gain 8.5, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 0. These are community-researched baselines — GuitarToneAdapt re-dials them for your exact guitar and amp.

What gear was used for the Freezing Moon tone?

Original gear/effects: Guitar: Gibson Les Paul Standard (sunburst, late 1970s/early 1980s, as seen in studio photos) · Amp: Marshall JMP 1987 Mk II Super Lead 50w Head (1976-77, with master volume mod) into Marshall 1960BX 4x12 cabinet (Celestion G12M Blackback speakers); distortion, overdrive.

Can I get the Freezing Moon tone on a different guitar or amp?

Yes. Different guitars and amps need different knob positions to sound the same. GuitarToneAdapt models pickup output and wood brightness, then compensates so you match the record on your own rig.

How do I sound like Mayhem on Freezing Moon — what gear and pedals?

Start with Bridge pickup, the amp EQ above (gain 8.5, bass 5.5, mid 4.5, treble 7, presence 6.5, reverb 0), and distortion, overdrive. Then let GuitarToneAdapt compensate for the guitar, amp and pedals you actually own so it sits like the record.

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Sources

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Settings are community-researched estimates, not official. GuitarToneAdapt adapts them to your gear. guitartoneadapt.com