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Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King Pt.2 - Riffs - Guitar Lesson

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Key E minor
Avenged Sevenfold - Hail to the King Pt.2 - Riffs guitar lesson video
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Hail to the King (Deluxe Edition) album cover
Hail to the King (Deluxe Edition)
2013 5:05
Listen on Spotify Listen on Apple Music
Avenged Sevenfold Heavy Metal 2013 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Hail to the King Pt.2 - Riffs

The riff work on "Hail to the King" is where Avenged Sevenfold leans hardest into classic Heavy Metal territory, drawing on a slow, deliberate groove that rewards players who can sit in the pocket without rushing. The song is tuned to Eb Standard, which drops every string a half step and gives the low end that slightly looser, heavier feel you need to match the recorded tone. At 120 BPM in E minor, the tempo is approachable, but the challenge is keeping each riff clean and authoritative rather than sloppy. The main riffs rely on power chords and single-note lines that move across the lower strings, so right-hand muting is critical: any missed mute will stick out immediately. Work through each riff phrase by phrase using the Practice Toolbar, looping it slowed down until your left and right hands are perfectly in sync before bringing it back up to tempo.

  • The song sits in Eb Standard tuning, so tune every string down a half step before you start to match the recorded pitch and string feel.
  • Right-hand palm muting is central to the riff tone: tight, controlled mutes on the low strings define the groove throughout the song.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, but precision and dynamics matter more than speed, making this a strong exercise in controlled rhythm playing.

How to Play Hail to the King Pt.2 - Riffs

Tuning: Eb Standard · Key: E minor · Tempo: 120 BPM

It is played in Eb standard, a half step down, so tune down before you start or every position and bend will sit a half step sharp against the recording.

Use the section loop to isolate a passage, drop the speed below 100%, and set the metronome to 120 BPM to build it up to tempo.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Zacky Vengeance pairs the JCM800 with his Schecter for a grittier, more classic crunch on rhythm duties, cutting through the mix with natural breakup without relying solely on high-gain saturation.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
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Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Synyster Gates uses this wah to add expressive dynamics to his lead passages, allowing him to shape the midrange of his high-output bridge pickup for singing, vocal-like solo tones.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
Pedal

ISP Decimator Noise Gate

The ISP Decimator tames the high-gain hum inherent to Avenged Sevenfold's aggressive drop-tuned rhythms and sustain-heavy leads, keeping the signal clean without sacrificing the thick distortion tone.

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay
Pedal

MXR Carbon Copy Analog Delay

Synyster Gates deploys this analog delay to add ambience and spaciousness to his solos, complementing his Sustainiac-driven feedback passages with lush, tape-like modulation for dynamic lead work.

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