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Am I Evil

MetallicaView all Metallica tabs

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Am I Evil by Metallica

Diamond Head's Am I Evil? debuted in 1980 on Lightning to the Nations and is widely hailed as a blueprint for early speed/ thrash metal. Written by Diamond Head's Brian Tatler and Sean Harris, the track kicked open the doors for relentless riffs, twin-guitar harmonies, and an unforgettable, searing solo. Metallica later covered the song, bringing it to a much larger audience; their studio take was released on Garage Inc. in 1998, cementing the cut as a thrash classic and a rite of passage for aspiring players. The Metallica version preserves the original's ferocity while packing bigger production and a incendiary lead that continues to inspire guitarists today.

Metallica's enduring cover helped spark a broader appreciation for Diamond Head's material and the early UK thrash scene. Across live performances and classroom tabs alike, Am I Evil? remains a staple for developing players seeking to master fast, palm‑muted chugs, aggressive power chords, and high‑energy lead work that defines the genre.

🎸 Want to know the techniques, practice tips, and lesson details? Scroll below the lesson!

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What You'll Learn

In this lesson you’ll tackle the defining elements of Am I Evil? on guitar: the iconic main riff built on tight, palm-muted power chords, the driving rhythm sections that shift between staccato chugs and open-string accents, and the blazing lead lick that sits atop the groove. You’ll learn practical riffing patterns, the chord progressions that drive the verses and solo sections, and the techniques that give the track its signature aggression. We’ll also spotlight tricky parts—keeping a rock-solid gallop at tempo, maintaining clean muting through fast picking, and shaping the lead phrases with controlled bends and phrasing to match the original feel.

Intermediate; a solid grasp of palm muting, power chords, and steady alternate picking will help you tackle the pace and precision of the riffs and solo.

🎸 Techniques Used

Palm MutingPower ChordsAlternate PickingHammer-ons/Pull-offsBends and Vibrato in the lead solo

Practice Tips

💡Break the main riff into two-bar phrases and practice with a metronome at a slower tempo, then gradually increase speed while preserving clean muting.
💡Focus on a tight palm muting angle near the bridge; adjust the amount of muting to keep every chug sounding even and controlled at high tempo.
💡For the lead solo, learn the E minor pentatonic shapes first, practice small bend-and-release licks slowly, then integrate into the tempo with even phrasing.