Guitar Songs, Tabs & Lessons

Halestorm

2 guitar songs · Tabs, Lessons & Tone Guide Hard Rock

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Darkness Always Wins - Guitar Tab

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StephLeGratteux Guitar Tab

Familiar Taste Of Poison - Guitar Tab

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StephLeGratteux Guitar Tab

Band Overview

Halestorm emerged from Red Lion, Pennsylvania in the late 1990s, though they didn't break into the mainstream until their self-titled debut album dropped in 2009. Led by the powerhouse vocals of Lzzy Hale, who also handles rhythm guitar duties, the band's guitar attack is anchored by lead guitarist Joe Hottinger. Together they form one of the most formidable guitar tandems in modern Hard Rock, blending aggressive riff-driven sections with melodic lead work that draws from Classic Rock, modern metal, and even blues traditions. Their sound sits in that sweet spot between mainstream hard rock accessibility and genuine heaviness, making them a fantastic band for intermediate guitarists looking to level up their skills. From a guitarist's perspective, Halestorm is essential study material for several reasons. Joe Hottinger is a criminally underrated player whose lead work combines pentatonic-based rock soloing with legato runs, tasteful bends, and a vibrato that sits somewhere between bluesy warmth and modern aggression. His rhythm playing is tight and punchy, relying heavily on palm-muted power chord progressions, open-string chugs, and the occasional drop-tuned riff that adds real weight to the band's sound. Lzzy Hale's rhythm guitar work is deceptively solid, providing a thick foundational layer that frees Hottinger to explore more textural and melodic territory during verses and bridges. Difficulty-wise, Halestorm songs range from approachable intermediate territory to moderately advanced. Songs like "Familiar Taste Of Poison" showcase dynamics and clean-to-distorted transitions that teach you about touch and feel, while heavier tracks like "Darkness Always Wins" demand tighter palm-muting discipline and more aggressive picking. The solos are generally melodic and well-phrased rather than shred-oriented, making them achievable goals for players who have a solid foundation in pentatonic scales and basic legato technique. If you can handle standard rock bends, vibrato, and reasonably fast alternate picking, you are well-equipped to tackle most of their catalog.

What Makes Halestorm Essential for Guitar Players

Joe Hottinger's lead style leans heavily on minor pentatonic and natural minor scales with generous string bending and a controlled, medium-speed vibrato. His phrasing is deliberate and melodic, making his solos excellent exercises in playing with intention rather than speed.
Palm-muted power chord riffs form the backbone of most Halestorm songs. Tracks like 'Darkness Always Wins' require tight, consistent downpicking with precise muting control to keep the low-end punchy without getting muddy, especially when playing in drop tunings.
Dynamic contrast is a defining element of their guitar approach. 'Familiar Taste Of Poison' moves between clean arpeggiated passages and heavy distorted sections, teaching you how to manage your picking attack, volume knob usage, and pedal switching to create real emotional tension.
Hottinger frequently employs hammer-on and pull-off legato passages in his solos, often combined with slides to move between positions on the neck. This makes his lead work feel fluid and connected rather than choppy, and it is a great way to develop smooth legato technique.
The interplay between Lzzy's rhythm guitar and Joe's lead parts creates a layered sound that is worth studying for anyone in a two-guitar band. Learning both parts reveals how they use complementary voicings, different tonal textures, and strategic doubling to create a wall of sound without stepping on each other.

Did You Know?

Lzzy Hale became the first female ambassador for Gibson Guitars and has her own signature Gibson Explorer, the Lzzy Hale Explorer, featuring a classic alpine white finish with gold hardware and hot humbuckers designed for high-gain rock tones.

Joe Hottinger primarily plays Gibson Les Pauls and has been seen using various Custom Shop models live. He has noted that the Les Paul's sustain and midrange punch are critical to getting Halestorm's thick lead tone.

Halestorm's debut album was recorded when Lzzy was just 18 years old, and Joe Hottinger joined the band when he was still a teenager, meaning both guitarists essentially grew up developing their tone and technique within the band.

The band famously set a Guinness World Record in 2012 for the longest continuous live performance by a band, playing for over 24 hours straight. That is over 24 hours of non-stop guitar playing, which speaks to their stamina and consistency as players.

Lzzy Hale has cited classic rock guitarists like Jimmy Page and Jeff Beck as major influences, which explains the bluesy bending and dynamic range in Halestorm's guitar parts despite their modern hard rock packaging.

Joe Hottinger often uses relatively minimal pedalboards live, preferring to get the core of his tone from his guitar and amp combination rather than relying on heavy effects processing. This 'less is more' approach keeps his tone organic and responsive.

Several Halestorm tracks, including some from their heavier albums, were recorded with the guitars tuned to Drop D or Drop C#, giving guitarists a chance to explore alternate tunings without venturing into extreme metal territory.

Essential Albums for Guitarists

Halestorm 2009

The self-titled debut is a masterclass in modern hard rock guitar fundamentals. 'I Get Off' teaches aggressive palm-muted riffing with dynamic chorus lifts, while 'Familiar Taste Of Poison' develops your clean tone control and arpeggiated picking. This album covers the full range of techniques you will need for the rest of their catalog.

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The Strange Case Of... 2012

This Grammy-winning album pushed the band's guitar work into heavier and more diverse territory. 'Love Bites (So Do I)' features crunchy drop-tuned riffs perfect for practicing tight downpicking, and 'Freak Like Me' showcases Joe Hottinger's most melodic solo work. Great for intermediate players ready to tackle more aggressive rhythm parts.

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Vicious 2018

Halestorm's heaviest album delivers crushing low-tuned riffs and some of Hottinger's most adventurous lead playing. 'Uncomfortable' is an excellent exercise in syncopated palm-muted riffing, and 'Skulls' features fast alternate-picked passages that will challenge your right-hand stamina. This is the album to tackle once you have mastered the earlier material.

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Back From the Dead 2022

Their most recent album blends their heaviest riffing with surprisingly catchy melodic hooks. The title track 'Back From the Dead' is a riff workout with punishing palm-muted chugs and dramatic open-chord stabs. 'Darkness Always Wins' showcases moody, atmospheric guitar layering that teaches you about tone and texture as much as technique.

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Tone & Gear

Guitar

Lzzy Hale is synonymous with her Gibson Lzzy Hale Signature Explorer in alpine white with gold hardware, loaded with hot humbuckers for high-gain rock. Joe Hottinger relies primarily on Gibson Les Paul Standards and Customs, favoring the classic mahogany body and maple cap combination for sustain and midrange thickness. He has also been spotted using ESP guitars on occasion for drop-tuned material where a longer scale length helps maintain string tension.

Amp

Both guitarists have been associated with high-gain tube amplifiers. Joe Hottinger has used Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifiers and Marshall JCM800-style amps, often pushing the gain into saturated territory while keeping the mids prominent for cut and clarity in a live mix. Lzzy has favored Marshall-style tones and has been seen using various high-gain heads. The key to their amp sound is a tight, articulate gain structure that does not sacrifice note definition even at high volume, typically achieved by keeping the bass moderate and the presence dialed in for pick attack.

Pickups

Both guitarists favor humbucker-equipped guitars for their thick, noise-free high-gain tones. Lzzy's signature Explorer uses a set of hot Gibson humbuckers (490R neck, 498T bridge) that deliver a punchy, aggressive output without being overly compressed. Joe's Les Pauls typically run Gibson Burstbucker or similar PAF-inspired humbuckers in the 8-12k output range, providing enough heat for saturated rhythms while retaining the dynamic sensitivity needed for expressive lead work and volume knob cleanup.

Effects & Chain

Halestorm's guitar tones are predominantly amp-driven, keeping the pedalboard relatively lean. Joe Hottinger uses a wah pedal (Dunlop Cry Baby) for expressive lead moments, a tube screamer-style overdrive to tighten the amp's low end and push the front end for solos, and a delay (usually a digital unit set to subtle slapback or moderate repeats for leads). Reverb is kept minimal to maintain riff clarity. Lzzy's board is even simpler, often relying on channel switching and a tuner. The philosophy is straight-ahead: guitar into a cranked tube amp with minimal coloring, letting the pickups and wood do the talking.

Recommended Gear

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Joe Hottinger's primary weapon, the mahogany body and maple cap deliver the sustain and midrange thickness essential to Halestorm's thick, articulate high-gain riffs. Paired with PAF-inspired humbuckers, it balances saturated rhythm tones with dynamic sensitivity for expressive lead work.

Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Joe uses this guitar interchangeably with the Standard for the same tonal foundation, providing the classic Gibson warmth and midrange punch that cuts through live mixes without sacrificing note definition at high volumes.

Guitar

Gibson Explorer

Lzzy Hale's signature Alpine White Explorer, loaded with hot Gibson humbuckers, delivers the punchy, aggressive output she needs for Halestorm's direct, amp-driven approach while maintaining clarity even under extreme gain.

Amp

Marshall JCM800

This amp's tight, articulate gain structure with prominent mids and controlled presence is fundamental to Halestorm's sound, keeping pick attack definition and riff clarity even at saturated volumes.

Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Joe Hottinger relies on this high-gain tube amp for its ability to maintain note definition and midrange cut while pushing saturation hard, delivering the tight, articulate gain signature that defines Halestorm's rhythm tones.

Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Joe uses this classic wah for expressive lead moments, adding dynamic control and tonal shaping without cluttering Halestorm's predominantly amp-driven, minimal-pedal philosophy.

How to Practice Halestorm on GuitarZone

Every Halestorm song page on GuitarZone includes a built-in Practice Toolbar. No app to download, no account needed. Open any song, then use the toolbar to slow the video to 0.5× speed, set an A/B loop around the exact riff you're working on, and jump between song sections instantly.

The toolbar appears automatically on every guitar tab, lesson, and cover page. Pick a song below, hit play, and start practicing at your own pace.

Practice Darkness Always Wins - Guitar Tab Practice Familiar Taste Of Poison - Guitar Tab