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Megadeth - Holy Wars… The Punishment Due - Guitar Tab

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Megadeth - Holy Wars… The Punishment Due - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
Megadeth - Holy Wars… The Punishment Due guitar tab video
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Rust In Peace album cover
Rust In Peace
1990 6:36
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Megadeth Thrash Metal 1990 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Holy Wars… The Punishment Due

"Holy Wars… The Punishment Due" is the opening track of Megadeth's fourth studio album, Rust in Peace, released in 1990. Widely regarded as one of the greatest thrash metal compositions, the song showcases Dave Mustaine's intricate rhythm work alongside Marty Friedman's melodic lead playing. For electric guitarists, it offers a demanding combination of aggressive riffing, precise picking, and expressive soloing that makes it a benchmark piece in the genre.

  • The song opens Rust in Peace, an album frequently cited as a technical high point in thrash metal guitar writing.
  • Marty Friedman's lead work blends exotic scales with shred technique, giving guitarists a rich study in melodic soloing.
  • The track features distinct tempo shifts between heavy rhythm sections and melodic passages, requiring strong dynamic control from the guitarist.
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
Pedal

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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