According to Rubano, the group wished to make a rock-oriented album—not in compositional style, but "maybe in the recording and the tones of the instruments." They brought out "a really unique character" in all the songs. During the recording, guitarist Ed Reyes used Orange and Burman amplifiers. Most of his guitar tracks were recorded with an Epiphone Casino guitar, and he also used an Epiphone Crestwood guitar. Frequently using a tape delay effect, Reyes did not use distortion pedals since the Orange amp "had a perfect gain sound in itself." Mascherino used his Gibson SG Special guitar during recording, which he said had "an amazing sound which is really warm and gives me my own sound." He channeled it through a Marshall JCM800 amplifier, and also used a Gibson Firebird guitar when the group needed "a really tight sound." The drums were recorded in three days. After positioning four microphones around (and inside) the bass drum, Valentine placed Mark O'Connell in a room "he calls the torture chamber." According to the drummer, the room's acoustics made the drums sound "insane."