How to Dial In "The Swarm" by At the Gates - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "The Swarm"
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 Terminal Spirit Disease (1994). Terminal Spirit Disease is the third studio album by Swedish melodic death metal band At the Gates. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP LTD EC-1000 through a Peavey 5150, the nearest rig we use for At the Gates' other songs, 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 Swarm" Tone
What guitar did At the Gates use on "The Swarm"?
The guitar on "The Swarm" (released 1994) 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 Swarm" 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 Swarm" 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 Swarm" 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 Swarm" by At the Gates are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.