The Struggle Within – Metallica

Take your guitar playing to the next level with LickLibrary's note-for-note guitar lesson of "The Struggle Within" by Metallica. This powerhouse track from their iconic "Black Album" is an explosive combination of thrashing riffs, relentless rhythm, and intricate lead work. Our expertly crafted guitar lesson dissects every detail, bringing you an in-depth breakdown of the techniques used in this heavy-hitting song. Whether you're looking to improve your right-hand precision, fretboard speed, or rhythmic control, this lesson delivers immense value for intermediate to advanced players. Jamie Humphries breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

Song Overview

"The Struggle Within" closes Metallica's 1991 self-titled album, commonly known as the Black Album, and it does so with fury. The song kicks off with an unexpected military-style snare intro, soon launching into a riff-heavy assault driven by palm-muted chugging, aggressive alternate picking, and a tight rhythmic foundation. It showcases Metallica's ability to fuse thrash metal roots with more groove-oriented songwriting. This lesson will walk you through each section, unpacking the techniques needed to capture the raw intensity of the song.

Rhythm Guitar Techniques

Palm Muting

Palm muting is essential in this track, especially for the galloping and chugging riffs that define its aggressive tone. Mastering this technique helps you gain control over your sound and enhances your rhythm playing by creating percussive, articulate riffs.

Alternate Picking

A core technique throughout the track, alternate picking ensures that you can maintain speed and consistency across fast passages. It improves timing, right-hand endurance, and overall picking efficiency.

Power Chords

Used in nearly every section, power chords provide the sonic backbone of Metallica’s riffing. Learning to use them fluently strengthens your fretboard knowledge and gives your playing the heavy edge essential for metal.

Galloping Rhythms

This rhythm style is a Metallica signature and makes frequent appearances in The Struggle Within. Galloping rhythms are excellent for building right-hand speed and accuracy while locking in with a drummer or backing track.

Lead Guitar Techniques

String Bending & Bluesy Bends

Throughout the solo and melodic lead lines, various bending techniques are employed to add expressiveness and attitude. Mastering string bending helps develop better pitch control and dynamic phrasing.

Vibrato

Used to sustain and flavour individual notes, vibrato adds personality to your leads. Learning vibrato improves your ability to convey emotion through your playing and control note duration and intensity.

Slides

Slides help create smooth transitions between notes, which gives a fluid, connected feel to phrases. Practicing this technique enhances legato phrasing and leads to more dynamic solos.

Pull-offs & Hammer-ons

These fundamental techniques are used to inject speed and fluidity into runs and phrases. They reduce the need for constant picking and allow for smoother legato playing.

Double Stops

You’ll find harmonised double stops in the lead sections, often used to thicken melodies. Learning this adds dimension to your solos and helps with finger independence and hybrid picking.

Trills

Trills provide fast, fluttering embellishments that add excitement to solos and fills. They’re excellent for improving finger strength and dexterity.

Metallica Guitarists and Their Influence

The guitar work on "The Struggle Within" is delivered by James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett, two of metal’s most influential guitarists. Hetfield's rhythm playing is precise, powerful, and relentlessly tight—often cited as the gold standard for metal rhythm guitar. Kirk Hammett’s lead work injects fiery energy into the song, blending bluesy influences with speed and precision. Together, they shaped the modern metal guitar landscape, and learning their styles equips any player with foundational techniques used in countless other heavy genres.

Why This Lesson Matters

Taking on "The Struggle Within" provides guitarists with a well-rounded technical workout. You'll enhance your rhythmic accuracy, right-hand stamina, lead fluency, and dynamic control. The track's structure gives players exposure to riff writing, tight metal rhythm work, and aggressive solo phrasing, all while working through a song that’s both iconic and immensely fun to play.

By breaking the song down into manageable sections and focusing on each technique in detail, this LickLibrary lesson ensures that you’re not just learning a song—but building a robust set of metal guitar skills.

Techniques Featured in This Lesson

• Palm Muting
• Alternate Picking
• Power Chords
• Galloping Rhythms
• String Bending
• Bluesy Bends
• Vibrato
• Slides
• Pull-offs
• Hammer-ons
• Double Stops
• Trills