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Megadeth - In My Darkest Hour - Guitar Lesson

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Megadeth - In My Darkest Hour - Guitar Lesson

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Megadeth - In My Darkest Hour guitar lesson video
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So Far, So Good...So What! album cover
So Far, So Good...So What!
1988 6:17
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Megadeth Thrash Metal 1988 F# minor
Capo Advisor 0 F# minor · Original key

In My Darkest Hour

"In My Darkest Hour" is a thrash metal track by Megadeth, featured as the sixth song on their third studio album So Far, So Good... So What!, released as a promotional single in 1988. The song blends intense rhythmic riffing with an emotionally charged guitar solo that Dave Mustaine himself cites as one of his personal favorites. For electric guitarists, it offers a compelling study in dynamic contrast, moving between aggressive thrash passages and expressive melodic lead work.

  • Dave Mustaine has named the guitar solo in this song as one of his all-time favorite solos he has written.
  • The song runs just over six minutes, giving guitarists extended riff and lead sections to work through and master.
  • It appeared in the documentary The Decline of Western Civilization Part II: The Metal Years, alongside an official music video.
Gibson Flying V
Guitar

Gibson Flying V

Dave Mustaine's current signature Flying V delivers the V-shaped body geometry essential for accessing upper frets on his complex spider-chord voicings and fast lead lines. The guitar's thin, fast neck profile and fixed bridge provide the tuning stability and articulation Megadeth's precise, aggressive riffing demands.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

Mustaine built Megadeth's signature razor-sharp, scooped-mid tone on Marshall JCM800s, with gain around 7-8 to retain pick dynamics and articulation under heavy palm-muting. The amp's responsive tube saturation transforms hot pickups into the controlled, fast low-end aggression that defines thrash metal rhythm tones.

DigiTech Whammy
Pedal

DigiTech Whammy

Marty Friedman used the Digitech Whammy as a lead accent tool, adding pitch-shifting texture to solos without cluttering Megadeth's minimalist effects philosophy. The pedal's harmonic richness complemented his warm, vocal-like Seymour Duncan humbucker tone during the band's classic era.

ISP Decimator Noise Gate
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ISP Decimator Noise Gate

The ISP Decimator is essential for Mustaine's high-gain thrash setup, eliminating feedback and noise between palm-muted riffs without compromising sustain. This noise gate allows him to push the Marshall into aggressive saturation while maintaining the tight, articulate attack Megadeth's complex rhythms require.

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