How to Dial In "The Head of the Hydra" by At the Gates - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "The Head of the Hydra"
Suggested rig · the original isn't documented.
Knob Positions, Pickup, and Tuning
Where to set the knobs for this tone. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale.
On your amp, these numbers won't sound the same.
Get the settings for my ampHow the artist had their guitar configured for this take.
From At War with Reality (2014). At War with Reality is the fifth studio album and major label debut by Swedish melodic death metal band At the Gates, released on 27 October 2014 for Europe and 28 October 2014 for the USA. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP LTD EC-1000 through a Peavey 5150, the rig we use for At the Gates' other songs from At War with Reality, stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in a tuning that is not one of the standard names: B E A D F♯ B, low to high.
Common Questions About the "The Head of the Hydra" Tone
What guitar did At the Gates use on "The Head of the Hydra"?
The guitar on "The Head of the Hydra" (released 2014) isn't documented; the ESP LTD EC-1000 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in Custom tuning, so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "The Head of the Hydra" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 5, Mid 5.5, Treble 7.5, Presence 7, Volume 7. Each value is on the standard 0–10 amp scale; match them on your amp first, then nudge to taste. ToneMirror can translate these positions for whatever amp you actually own.
Can I play "The Head of the Hydra" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "The Head of the Hydra" tone on a Katana, a Helix, a tube combo, or anything else. The translation accounts for EQ curve, gain structure, and pickup type so the result actually sounds like the record, not just the same knob numbers on different gear.
More Tones You Can Dial In
Tone references for "The Head of the Hydra" by At the Gates are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.