How to Dial In "War Is Hell" by Toxic Holocaust - Guitar Tone Settings
Gear for "War Is Hell"
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 An Overdose of Death... (2008). An Overdose of Death... is the third full-length album released by American thrash metal band Toxic Holocaust on September 2, 2008. No source we found ties a guitar or amp to this recording, so an ESP LTD EC-1000 through a Marshall JCM800 2203, the rig we use for Toxic Holocaust's other songs from An Overdose of Death..., stands in. Set the amp to a driven, high-gain crunch and use the bridge pickup. Published transcriptions put it in E♭ standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), a half step below standard.
Common Questions About the "War Is Hell" Tone
What guitar did Toxic Holocaust use on "War Is Hell"?
The guitar on "War Is Hell" (released 2008) isn't documented; the ESP LTD EC-1000 above gets the sound. Pickup selector: bridge pickup on the guitar. The track is in E♭ Standard (E♭ A♭ D♭ G♭ B♭ E♭), so retune before you dial anything in.
What amp settings does "War Is Hell" need?
Settings for this sound: Gain 8, Bass 5.5, Mid 6, Treble 6.5, Presence 6, Volume 6.5. 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 "War Is Hell" without the original gear?
Yes. ToneMirror takes the settings above and adapts it to your guitar, amp, and pedals - so you can chase the "War Is Hell" 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 "War Is Hell" by Toxic Holocaust are provided for educational use. ToneMirror is not affiliated with the artists or labels referenced.