Metallica - Harvester of Sorrow - Guitar Tab

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Metallica - Harvester of Sorrow - Guitar Tab

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Key E minor
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...And Justice for All (Remastered) album cover
...And Justice for All (Remastered)
1988 5:45
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

Harvester of Sorrow


"Harvester of Sorrow" is a heavy metal track by Metallica, released on August 28, 1988, as the first single from their fourth studio album, ...And Justice for All. Built on a slow, crushing mid-tempo riff, the song stands out from Metallica's faster thrash material and offers electric guitarists a masterclass in heavy groove, down-tuned power chords, and James Hetfield's signature rhythm technique. Its deliberate pacing makes it an excellent study piece for players working on tight, aggressive rhythm playing.

  • The song was debuted live on the 1988 Monsters of Rock Tour, sharing the bill with Van Halen, Scorpions, Dokken, and Kingdom Come.
  • It was the first Metallica single to feature bassist Jason Newsted, who replaced the late Cliff Burton.
  • The track's slow, heavy riff contrasts with Metallica's thrash roots, making it a useful exercise for controlling dynamics and palm muting.
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.