Killswitch Engage’s “The End of Heartache” is a metalcore classic, known for its blend of melodic riffs and heavy breakdowns. For guitar players looking to learn this iconic track, having access to an accurate guitar tab is essential. This guitar tab provides a breakdown of the song’s structure, allowing you to master the riffs and solos. Dive in and explore the guitar parts of “The End of Heartache” and bring the energy of Killswitch Engage to your fingertips.
Intro Guitar Tab
The intro sets the tone with a dissonant and atmospheric riff. Pay attention to the palm muting (indicated by ‘.’) which adds to the heavy feel. The stretch mentioned in the original notes might require some practice, but with persistence, you’ll nail it.
|1------1-----1-----1-----3-----------------------------------------|
|--5------5-----5-----5-----5----5-----------------------------------|
|----5------5-----5-----5------5-------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
. . . . .Verse Guitar Tab
The verse riff introduces slides and a driving rhythm. The notation 9/109 indicates a slide up from the 9th fret to the 10th and then back down to the 9th. Palm muting (indicated by ‘….’) is crucial for the rhythmic chugging sound.
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------9/109-5/7----------------9/109--5----------------------|
|-----------x-xx-x-x-x----------------x-xx-x--x----------------------|
|-----------7/8\7-3/5----------------7/8\7--3----------------------|
|0000-00000-------------0000-00000------------------------------------|
.... ..... .... .....
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------9/109-5/7------------------------------------------------|
|----------x-xx-x-x-x------------------------------------------------|
|----------7/8\7-3/5-------------------8/10-10\-------------------|
|8888-88888--------------8888-88888-----8/10-10\-------------------|
.... ..... .... .....Pre-Chorus Guitar Tab
This section builds intensity before the chorus. It features fast hammer-ons and pull-offs (indicated by ‘h’ and ‘p’ respectively) combined with palm-muted open notes. Practice the transitions between the different note combinations to achieve a smooth and aggressive sound.
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|0000-000000-000000-00-7h10p7h10p7p0--6h9p6h9p6p0--------------------|
.... ...... ...... ..
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|0000-000000-000000-00-12h15p12h15p12p0--11h14p11h14p11p0------------|
.... ...... ...... ..
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|0000-000000-000000-00-7h10p7h10p7p0--6h9p6h9p6h9p6p0--------------------|
.... ...... ...... ..
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------------------8/10-10\-----------------------------------|
|0000-000000-000000-00--8/10-10\-----------------------------------|
.... ...... ...... ..Chorus Guitar Tab
The chorus is where the song truly opens up. Guitar 1 plays power chords while Guitar 2 adds a melodic layer with higher notes. This dual guitar arrangement is a signature element of Killswitch Engage’s sound. Experiment with different guitar tones to capture the full impact of the chorus.
gtr 1 plays this
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-3333333333333333--------------------5555555555555555------3333333355555555-|
|-1111111111111111--0000000000000000--3333333333333530------1111111133333333-|
|-------------------0000000000000000-----------------------------------------|
while guitar two plays this
|
|-666666666666666---5555555555555555--3333333333333333------6666666688888888-|
|-666666666666666---6666666666666666--5555555555555555------6666666688888888-|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------||--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------12/1412-9/10--------------------12/1412-9--------------|
|-----------xx/xxxx-x/x---------------------xx/xxxx-x--------------|
|-----------10/1210-7/8---------------------10/1210-7--------------|
|0000-00000-----------------------0000-00000------------------------|
.... ..... .... .....
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|-----------12/1412-9/10--------------------------------------------|
|-----------xx/xxxx-x/x---------------------------------------------|
|-----------10/1210-7/8----------------------8/10-10\------------|
|8888-88888-----------------------8888-88888--8/10-10\------------|
.... ..... .... .....Solo Guitar Tab
This quick solo after the first chorus is a burst of energy. It utilizes fast alternate picking and pinched harmonics (indicated by ‘ph~’). Pay close attention to the rhythm and dynamics to capture the intensity of this short solo.
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|12-0-10-0-8-0-10-0-8-0-7-0-8-0-7-0-5-0-7-0-5-0-3-0-5-0-3-0-2-0-3-0-|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
.. . .. . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
ph~
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
|12-0-10-0-8-0-10-0-8-0-7-0-8-0-7-0-5-0-7-0-5-0-3-0-5p0-------------|
|-------------------------------------------------------3p0-5-------|
|--------------------------------------------------------------------|
.. . .. . . . .. . . . . .This “The End of Heartache” guitar tab provides a foundation for learning this Killswitch Engage song. Remember to listen to the original song to understand the nuances of timing and feel. With practice, you’ll be playing this metalcore anthem in no time.
