Metallica - The Unforgiven II - Guitar Lesson

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Metallica - The Unforgiven II - Guitar Lesson

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Metallica Heavy Metal A minor
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The Unforgiven II


"The Unforgiven II" is a track by American heavy metal band Metallica, serving as a thematic continuation of "The Unforgiven" from their eponymous fifth album. The song explores the struggle of the individual against subjugation, delivered through a blend of clean and heavy electric guitar tones. Its dynamic shifts between soft, melodic passages and distorted riffs make it a rewarding study for electric guitarists looking to develop versatility in tone and technique.

  • The song is part of Metallica's 'Unforgiven' trilogy, giving guitarists a chance to study how a theme evolves across multiple tracks.
  • The track features contrasting clean and distorted guitar sections, requiring players to manage pickup selection and amp settings effectively.
  • Metallica's original 'The Unforgiven' was released as the second single from their self-titled fifth album, commonly known as The Black Album.
Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Kirk Hammett's vintage 1959 'Greeny' Les Paul Standard delivers warmer, more dynamic PAF-style tones that contrast his EMG-equipped ESP guitars, adding organic sustain to his lead work. This guitar's traditional construction gives his solos a thicker, less compressed character than his signature models.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

While not Hammett's primary choice, the Les Paul Custom shares the Les Paul's warm PAF pickup character and thick body resonance, offering heavier players an alternative to Strat-style designs for achieving Metallica's crushing rhythm tones.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

James Hetfield's early Gibson Explorer established his signature angular shape and thick body tone, delivering the aggressive midrange attack essential to Metallica's crushing rhythm style before his ESP signature models became his primary tool.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Kirk Hammett's Dual Rectifier heads provide the high-gain, midrange-forward aggression that lets his solos cut through Hetfield's scooped rhythm tone, creating definition and clarity in Metallica's dense wall of distortion.

EMG 81
Pickup

EMG 81

Hetfield's bridge EMG 81 delivers the hot, compressed output with tight low-end that defines Metallica's palm-muted riffs, the ceramic magnet and active preamp cutting through heavy arrangements with focused, aggressive attack.

EMG 60
Pickup

EMG 60

Both guitarists use the neck EMG 60 for warmer, more articulate rhythm tones and smoother lead voicings, balancing the 81's aggression with clearer note definition across Metallica's dense arrangements.