Metallica: 10 Hardest James Hetfield Riffs You Can't Play
1. Creeping Death
There have been many times James has been lauded for his downpicking, but it really is the core of Metallica's sound. The idea of downpicking has gone as far back as punk rock, but if there's any guitarist who has earned the right to use the term as a trademark, James Hetfield is certainly him.
The central riff in "Creeping Death" is by far one of the easiest riffs you will ever encounter in metal, with most of it dominated by just one power chord. Most guitarists might laugh at this being number one, but no one really notices what's happening with your picking hand.
The way that Hetfield plays this riff is so pristine that it almost sounds like a jackhammer hammering away on this unfortunate six-string. However, the mindset for playing this riff has to go beyond just a typical strumming pattern.
The right way of approaching this riff is almost as if you're dribbling a basketball, with the palm of your hand never leaving the base of the guitar too much to keep an even keel between the hits. Learning this riff is an incredibly skilful undertaking, but you have no one to blame but yourself if your wrist is busted by the end of the song.