Hmm.
Wow. Just read through the entire thread. Very interesting topic actually, TS...
Well, I'm honestly not much of a modern-tone aficionado BUT I do have a couple of things to point out:
1. ever realised the miking techniques that recording artistes employ, especially for modern hard rock/metal music? I noticed that alot of times they tend to use close-miking.. which gives you that gritty, in-your-face sound.
2. with regards to the above, just to follow up... notice how so many modern bands mike up their amps when onstage? Take a close look at where the mics are placed... you guessed it: close miking at the centre/edge of the cone.
3. I realised in alot of suggestions... people say tone set at this, gain set at that.. whatever. How about getting a dedicated 10-band EQ (MXR 10-band EQ perhaps?) and start working with your existing pedals. Also, try angling up your amp / speakers to face your chest/head region... not pointing at your knees.
4. yes, we can all agree to disagree whether pedals can or cannot get the tone you hear from a CD / youtube video / in your head. Ultimately I feel that we ought to just bear in mind the set-ups these pros use themselves and the amount of gear they use. From the guitar players' fingers, to the string all the way to the speaker cone...some things just cannot be replicated whether by pedal, microchip or true blue tube amp.
5. Lastly, as much as I respect your desire to replicate someone else's tone, does that mean that the tone you created yourself is any less worthy? I think not... it's your own individual tone after all!