Heavy metal: how to play and "arc down" shown in tablature

Question

I'm currently mastering a Troy Stetina "Heavy Metal rhythm" course, but having troubles with one of the exercises. It has an "half arc pointed down" sybmol after a note on 12th fret, what does it mean? If it was pointed up, I would think that it is a bend, but on the mp3 file, that came along with a book, it sounds more like a long slide down. I just can't reproduce the sound, no matter what I do.

This is how it sounds:

How is this technique called and how do you play this? I would appreciate a link to youtube video with an example, if one exists.

Answer 1

Until I listened to your example, I wasn't sure if it would be a divebomb (whammy bar pushed all the way down until the strings don't sound any more) or a slide, but in this case it's actually just a slide down from the 12th fret to somewhere near the 1st fret (can't quite tell which fret it stops at but it doesn't sound like it goes all the way)

What happens when you try the slide? If it tapers off too soon, try higher gain, or a compressor before your distortion pedal.