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Judas Priest - A Touch of Evil - Guitar Cover

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Key E minor
Judas Priest - A Touch of Evil guitar cover video
Licks Of The Beast
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Painkiller album cover
Painkiller
1990 5:44
Listen on Spotify
Judas Priest Heavy Metal 1990 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About A Touch of Evil

From the Painkiller album, "A Touch of Evil" sits in contrast to the record's heavier tracks, leaning into a brooding, mid-paced feel that puts Judas Priest's melodic side front and center. The twin-guitar work of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing is the core challenge here: clean, singing lead lines trade off against a thick rhythm foundation, and keeping that balance tight takes real attention to dynamics. The intro and verse riffs reward a controlled picking hand, since the groove depends more on feel and note placement than raw speed. When you get to the solo sections, the phrasing is lyrical rather than shredding, so focus on sustain and vibrato rather than just hitting the right pitches. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those lead passages slowed down until the bends and vibrato feel natural at tempo. The song is approachable for intermediate players but will expose any weakness in your right-hand articulation.

  • The song features twin-guitar harmony lines typical of Judas Priest, so learning both the rhythm and lead parts gives you the full picture of how they interlock.
  • Vibrato and string bending are the main techniques to nail in the solo sections, where expressive phrasing matters more than speed.
  • The mid-paced groove means your pick attack and muting discipline are clearly audible, making this good practice for controlled right-hand technique.

How to Play A Touch of Evil

Tuning: E Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 180 BPM

Loop the hardest passage and creep the speed up from around 70 percent until it holds at 180 BPM.

Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Richie Faulkner's weapon of choice, the Flying V's aggressive body shape matches Judas Priest's metal aesthetic while its mahogany construction and fast neck enable his lead-heavy playing style. The V's natural sustain and tonal balance cut through stadium mixes with the same clarity that defines modern Priest.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Glenn Tipton's signature tone comes from cranking the JCM800's preamp to 7-8 for tight, aggressive crunch that retains note clarity even at extreme volumes. The JCM800's midrange-forward character is essential to Priest's riffs cutting through, unlike thrash bands that scoop mids.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Both Tipton and Downing added Dual Rectifiers to their rigs for added low-end thickness on rhythm parts, complementing the Marshall's midrange presence. The Rectifier's thick saturation anchors Priest's heavier sections without sacrificing articulation.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

Glenn Tipton's bridge pickup of choice since the mid-1980s, the EMG 81 delivers razor-sharp metal tone with controlled low-end and noise-free operation at high gain. Its tight, compressed attack is crucial for Priest's precise riffing and solos that demand clarity.

Seymour Duncan JB
Pickup

Seymour Duncan JB

A key component of Judas Priest's pre-1984 'British Steel' and 'Screaming for Vengeance' era tone, the JB's medium-hot output provides vintage aggression without the compressed attack of active pickups. This humbucker captures the raw, organic sustain that defined early Priest lead work.

DiMarzio Super Distortion
Pickup

DiMarzio Super Distortion

The Super Distortion bridges the gap between vintage and modern Priest sounds, offering hot output for aggressive leads while maintaining the midrange clarity that makes Priest's twin-guitar harmonies cut through live. It's the ideal passive alternative for recreating classic Priest tones.

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