Creeping Death by Metallica
Creeping Death was released in 1984 on Metallica's Ride the Lightning album. The track uses biblical imagery of the Exodus story to fuel its high-energy thrash attack, pairing James Hetfield's driving rhythm with Kirk Hammett's screaming leads. The furious tempo shifts, endless chugging and memorable riffs helped define Metallica's sound in the mid-80s and established the song as a crowd favorite on early tours.
It was written during a feverish period of growth for the band, and its road-tested arrangement—punchy verse riffs, a dramatic mid-section, and a blistering finale—made it a staple of metal sets and a gateway track for many players. Today Creeping Death remains a rite of passage for fans learning thrash guitar and a recognized highlight in Metallica's catalog.
🎸 Want to know the techniques, practice tips, and lesson details? Scroll below the lesson!
What You'll Learn
In this lesson you will learn the iconic intro riff built on palm-muted power-chord chugs with tremolo-picked accents, the verse riffs that drive a tight gallop, the chorus/bridge groove, and the fast lead sections near the end. We'll cover timing, string muting, and dynamic contrast, plus common pitfalls like rushing the tempo or muddy muting. A practical practice plan will guide you from a slow, metronome-based start to a clean performance at tempo, with sections broken down so you can build up confidently.
Intermediate - requires solid rhythm guitar, palm muting, and power-chord changes, plus comfortable alternate picking and some lead technique for the solo.
🎸 Techniques Used
Practice Tips
- 💡Break the song into sections and practice each slowly, looping phrases until they lock in, then gradually raise the tempo.
- 💡Keep your palm mute distance consistent and use the bridge area to get a tight chug on the verse riffs.
- 💡Slow down the fast lead passages and use a metronome with gradual tempo increases to master alternate picking and clean bends.
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