My Friend Of Misery - Metallica

Dive deep into Metallica’s brooding classic My Friend Of Misery with this detailed guitar lesson from LickLibrary. This track, originally released on the Metallica (Black Album) in 1991, offers a rich tapestry of guitar techniques that make it both a captivating listen and a rewarding challenge for intermediate to advanced guitarists. Our note-for-note breakdown ensures you don’t miss a single nuance from this hauntingly atmospheric composition. Jamie Humphries breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

Song Overview

My Friend Of Misery is known for its dark, melancholic tone, and its iconic bass intro that gives way to intricate guitar layers. The song is a masterclass in dynamic arrangement, showcasing rhythm and lead parts that shift from hauntingly melodic to heavy and aggressive. While it might not be the fastest or most aggressive Metallica track, it requires precision, emotion, and control to play correctly — making it perfect for players wanting to refine their expressive playing and overall technique.

Guitar Techniques Explored

Palm Muting

The song leans heavily on precise and controlled palm-muting, especially in the rhythm guitar sections. Palm muting creates a tighter, more percussive sound, giving the riffs that signature Metallica crunch. Practicing this technique improves right-hand discipline and tightens up your rhythm playing, essential for any aspiring metal or rock guitarist.

Arpeggios

Throughout the song, guitarists will navigate clean, ringing arpeggios, particularly during the verse and intro sections. Learning these arpeggios enhances fretboard knowledge, finger dexterity, and overall musicality. Arpeggiated parts demand clean picking and note separation, which encourages precise hand coordination.

Alternate Picking

The song incorporates alternate picking to maintain clarity during faster passages. This technique helps develop speed and timing, especially when playing syncopated or galloping rhythms.

Hammer-ons and Pull-offs

You’ll encounter expressive hammer-ons and pull-offs in the lead parts and fills, especially during melodic passages. These are key to smooth legato phrasing and give solos a more fluid, natural feel.

Slides

The use of slides between notes in the clean intro and melodic interludes adds a vocal-like quality. Mastering slides improves hand control and expressiveness, allowing for smoother transitions between positions and a more lyrical soloing style.

Vibrato

Applying vibrato is essential for emotive lead phrasing. In My Friend Of Misery, subtle vibrato helps sustain notes and adds character, turning a simple phrase into something emotionally resonant. Practicing vibrato improves finger strength and your ability to control pitch variation for expressive soloing.

Power Chords

Heavier sections of the song utilise power chords, a staple of Metallica’s rhythm playing. These simple but powerful chord shapes help players focus on rhythmic accuracy and dynamic attack, both crucial for playing tight, heavy riffs.

The Guitarists Behind the Sound

James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett are the guitar masterminds behind My Friend Of Misery. Hetfield’s rhythm playing is widely regarded as some of the tightest in metal, with a focus on precision, down-picking endurance, and dynamic control. His playing is a study in powerful, articulate rhythm guitar work. Kirk Hammett, on the other hand, provides expressive lead guitar elements, often blending bluesy phrasing with modal scales and effects. His approach adds depth and melody to Metallica’s heavier foundation. Together, their dual-guitar work is a hallmark of Metallica’s sound, offering students a rich palette of styles to study and emulate.

Why Learn My Friend Of Misery?

This lesson is more than just learning how to play a Metallica track — it’s about developing foundational techniques that can be applied to a wide range of rock and metal contexts. Each section is a stepping stone for skills like dynamics, timing, melodic phrasing, and textural layering. Whether you're refining your rhythm chops or exploring expressive lead phrasing, this lesson delivers a well-rounded, musically enriching experience.

By mastering this track, guitarists will also gain insight into song structure, arrangement, and how to build atmosphere with technique and tone. It’s an essential piece for any Metallica fan or player looking to elevate their playing.

Techniques Used in this Lesson

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Hammer-ons
• Pull-offs
• Slides
• Palm Muting
• Power Chords
• Arpeggios