Slayer - Raining Blood - Guitar Lesson

About Raining Blood

Few songs in Thrash Metal demand as much from a rhythm guitarist as this one. Written by Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King, "Raining Blood" is built on relentless downpicked riffs played at 214 BPM in Eb Standard tuning, which drops tension just enough to let you dig in hard without the strings fighting back. The opening tremolo-picked figure sets the tone immediately, and the main riff requires strict alternate or downpicking stamina that will expose any weakness in your right hand very quickly. The track sits in E minor, giving the riffs a dark, compressed feel that rewards tight palm muting. Getting the transitions between the slower, dissonant intro and the full-speed riff sections clean is probably the steepest challenge here. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop those transitions slowed down until your picking hand stays locked and your muting stays consistent. Slayer set a benchmark for precision at extreme tempos, and this song is where that precision is tested most.

• At 214 BPM in Eb Standard tuning, the main riff demands exceptional right-hand endurance, as most players use strict downpicking to match the original tone.
• The opening section features a slower tremolo-picked figure that must transition cleanly into the full-speed riff, making the join between sections a key practice target.
• Palm muting control is critical throughout: uneven pressure at this tempo causes the riff to lose its tight, percussive attack almost immediately.