Take No Prisoners by Megadeth
Take No Prisoners was released in 1988 on Megadeth's So Far, So Good... So What! and helped cement the band's brutal early thrash sound. The track features the raw energy of the era with two guitar voices, Chris Poland and Jeff Young, trading riffs and delivering searing lead lines over a relentless tempo. Its machine-gun rhythm and aggressive vibe made it a crowd favorite in clubs and later at larger venues, shaping how fans heard the speed and precision of Megadeth's approach.
Over the years the song has stood as a classic example of late 80s thrash intensity, often cited by players as a benchmark for speed, tight muting, and the contrast between chugging rhythm parts and blistering lead passages.
🎸 Want to know the techniques, practice tips, and lesson details? Scroll below the lesson!
What You'll Learn
In this lesson you'll tackle the main fast riff built from palm-muted power chords, learn to transition cleanly into the verse and chorus sections, and work on the brisk lead fills that sit atop the rhythm. We'll break down the timing, right-hand feel, and muting required to reproduce the track's punch, and finish with a simplified solo-like lick that captures the Megadeth vibe without requiring impossibly fast picking.
Intermediate to advanced; prior experience with palm muting, fast alternate picking, and riff-based lead work will help you keep up with the tempo and clarity.
🎸 Techniques Used
Practice Tips
- 💡Break the song into four-bar phrases and loop each one slowly until clean, then gradually connect them.
- 💡Use a metronome and start at a comfortable tempo, focusing on even attack and clean muting before increasing speed.
- 💡Isolate the lead fills and practice them with downstrokes and alternate picking to maintain precision at high speed.
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