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Diamond Head - Am I Evil? - Guitar Solo Tab

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Key E minor
Diamond Head - Am I Evil? guitar tab video
Steph Le Gratteux
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Amp Settings

Classic Rock

Gain6
Bass6
Mid7
Treble6
Presence5
Master7
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Roll back the gain slightly and pick near the neck for a warmer, more open crunch.
Borrowed Time (Expanded Edition) album cover
Borrowed Time (Expanded Edition)
1982 7:21
Listen on Spotify
Diamond Head Heavy Metal 1982 E minor
Capo Advisor 0 E minor · Original key

About Am I Evil?

Few Heavy Metal riffs carry as much weight as the one Brian Tatler built into "Am I Evil?" Written by Tatler and vocalist Sean Harris, this Diamond Head track demands real stamina from the picking hand: the main riff is long, palm-muted, and relentless, sitting in E minor and requiring clean separation between the muted chunks and the open notes that ring out. At 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, the tempo is not extreme, but the riff's length and internal rhythm changes catch most players off guard the first few times through. There is also a dramatic slow-build intro section that requires steady, measured picking and careful attention to dynamics before the main body of the song kicks in. Use the Practice Toolbar to loop that intro and the primary riff separately, slowed down, until the transitions feel natural. Getting the palm mute pressure consistent throughout is the real technical challenge here.

  • The main riff runs in E minor at 120 BPM in E Standard tuning, making consistent palm-muting technique the central physical challenge.
  • The song has a slow, atmospheric intro section that requires measured picking and dynamic control before the heavier riff arrives.
  • Brian Tatler's rhythm guitar work relies on precise muting and note separation, so a clean picking attack matters more than raw speed here.

How to Play Am I Evil?

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

Brian Tatler's Les Paul Standard delivers Diamond Head's signature bright-yet-heavy tone through its stock PAF-spec humbuckers, providing natural compression and articulate pick attack without modification. The instrument's inherent voice cuts through cranked Marshall tubes, making it essential for their direct, no-frills heavy metal approach.

Gibson Les Paul Custom
Guitar

Gibson Les Paul Custom

The Les Paul Custom's thicker body and construction complement Diamond Head's warm, authoritative riff tone when paired with Gibson-style humbuckers and high-gain Marshall amplification. Its natural resonance supports the band's preference for instrument character over effects-based tone shaping.

Marshall JCM800
Amp

Marshall JCM800

The JCM800 2203's tight, responsive gain stage at volumes 7-8 creates Diamond Head's cutting metal tone with natural power-tube saturation and dynamic control for palm-muting precision. This amp exemplifies the straight-into-the-amp philosophy that defined their classic era sound.

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)
Amp

Marshall Plexi (1959 Super Lead)

Diamond Head's 1959 Super Lead Plexi provides the harmonic-rich tube breakup and headroom that powers their aggressive riffing, delivering the warm-yet-heavy character that defines their records. Cranked without channel switching or effects, it forces players to master fundamental amp-and-fingers technique.

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah
Pedal

Dunlop Cry Baby Wah

Tatler's occasional Cry Baby wah adds textural depth to Diamond Head's lead work while maintaining the band's minimal-effects philosophy, proving expressive solos require only one quality pedal and solid playing fundamentals.

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