Blackened by Metallica
Blackened opens Metallica's 1988 album '...And Justice for All,' signaling the band’s relentless thrash fury from the first note. Written by James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich with Kirk Hammett and Jason Newsted, the track delivers a blistering main riff, a muscular rhythm section, and a sense of cinematic intensity that mirrors the album’s themes. Its enduring appeal lies in how the riffs snap between tempos and how the band tightens the groove around rapid drum fills, making it a mascot of late-80s thrash and a favorite for fans and players alike.
Recorded during the album sessions with producer Flemming Rasmussen, Blackened is celebrated for its aggressive energy, precise dynamics, and a final, triumphant push that leaves the listener breathless. The song has left a lasting cultural imprint as a rite of passage for metal guitarists, a staple live tune, and a go-to reference for teaching technique and ensemble rhythm in the metal style.
🎸 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 song's signature fast intro riff and its accompanying palm-muted chugs, followed by the verse and chorus transitions that shift from tight, muted rhythms to full-power open-string hits. We'll break down select sections, demonstrate the right-hand picking pattern (heavy down-strokes with aggressive alternate picking), show left-hand shapes for the power-chord chunks, and discuss how to lock in with a metronome or backing track. The tricky parts to watch for include maintaining precise timing during rapid passages, keeping the palm muting consistent through dampened notes, and executing quick string skips and jumps without losing attack.
Advanced; players will benefit from solid power-chord knowledge, clean palm muting, and fast, consistent alternate picking.
🎸 Techniques Used
Practice Tips
- 💡Break the song into four-bar phrases and loop each phrase slowly with a metronome before linking sections together.
- 💡Keep your picking hand anchored near the bridge and practice tight palm muting to avoid squeals while delivering a punchy attack.
- 💡Use a moderate amount of gain and focus on a clean, precise pick strike to maintain speed and accuracy during the fast sections.
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