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Halestorm - Darkness Always Wins - Guitar Solo Tab

Sections · Loop · Speed · Metronome

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Speed Control

Speed
100%

Tools

BPM
Key E minor
Halestorm - Darkness Always Wins guitar tab video
Steph Le Gratteux
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
AI tone preset

AI-selected preset based on genre and era — adjust the knobs to taste.

Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Darkness Always Wins album cover
Darkness Always Wins
2025 4:50
Listen on Spotify
Halestorm Hard Rock 2025 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Darkness Always Wins

Playing in E minor at 120 BPM, "Darkness Always Wins" sits in a tempo range that feels comfortable until you lock in with the groove and realise how much precision the riffing demands. E Standard tuning keeps everything resonant and full, so your open low E string is a weapon here. Halestorm consistently write riffs that look simple on paper but require a tight, controlled pick attack to sit correctly in the mix, and this track is no exception. The challenge is less about speed and more about consistency: keeping your dynamics even through repeated riff figures while the rhythm pushes forward. If a transition between sections keeps slipping, the Practice Toolbar is exactly the tool for it. Loop the tricky passage slowed down until the movement is automatic, then gradually bring the tempo back up to 120 BPM. For fans of Hard Rock guitar, this track is a good test of whether your rhythm playing holds up under a steady, driving pulse.

  • The song is in E minor with E Standard tuning, meaning open-string power chords ring with full resonance and are central to the riff vocabulary.
  • At 120 BPM the tempo is moderate, but maintaining consistent pick attack and dynamic control across repeated riff figures is the real technical demand.
  • Focus practice on clean transitions between the verse and chorus riff sections, using the Practice Toolbar to loop those joins slowed down before playing up to tempo.

How to Play Darkness Always Wins

The song moves through: Intro, Full speed, 60% speed.

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

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.

Gibson Les Paul Standard
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Standard

Joe Hottinger's primary weapon, the mahogany body and maple cap deliver the sustain and midrange thickness essential to Halestorm's thick, articulate high-gain riffs. Paired with PAF-inspired humbuckers, it balances saturated rhythm tones with dynamic sensitivity for expressive lead work.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

Joe uses this guitar interchangeably with the Standard for the same tonal foundation, providing the classic Gibson warmth and midrange punch that cuts through live mixes without sacrificing note definition at high volumes.

Gibson Explorer
Guitar

Gibson Explorer

Lzzy Hale's signature Alpine White Explorer, loaded with hot Gibson humbuckers, delivers the punchy, aggressive output she needs for Halestorm's direct, amp-driven approach while maintaining clarity even under extreme gain.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

This amp's tight, articulate gain structure with prominent mids and controlled presence is fundamental to Halestorm's sound, keeping pick attack definition and riff clarity even at saturated volumes.

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier
Amp

Mesa/Boogie Dual Rectifier

Joe Hottinger relies on this high-gain tube amp for its ability to maintain note definition and midrange cut while pushing saturation hard, delivering the tight, articulate gain signature that defines Halestorm's rhythm tones.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Joe uses this classic wah for expressive lead moments, adding dynamic control and tonal shaping without cluttering Halestorm's predominantly amp-driven, minimal-pedal philosophy.

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