"This Love" by Pantera

Pantera’s “This Love” is a dynamic, emotionally charged anthem that showcases the band’s signature blend of heavy metal intensity and melodic nuance. This song provides a treasure trove of guitar techniques, making it a must-learn for any serious guitarist looking to expand their skillset and develop expressive, aggressive, and articulate playing. At LickLibrary.com, our note-for-note guitar lesson of "This Love" breaks down every riff, lead, and subtle nuance with precision, giving you the tools to play it just like the original. Andy James breaks down this classic track in this exclusive Lick Library video tutorial.

Dimebag Darrell – Guitar Innovator and Metal Icon

At the heart of "This Love" is the late, great Dimebag Darrell, Pantera's legendary guitarist known for his razor-sharp tone, explosive riffing, and highly expressive soloing. Dimebag’s unique style blends traditional bluesy phrasing with modern metal aggression, creating a sound that is instantly recognisable. His influence can be heard in generations of guitarists who have followed, especially within groove metal, thrash, and modern hard rock. Dimebag's work on this track is a prime example of how technicality and feel can coexist beautifully.

Song Breakdown & Guitar Techniques

Intro and Verse Riffs – Groove and Dynamics

The song opens with a clean, haunting arpeggiated chord progression that transitions into a groove-heavy verse riff. Here, palm-muting and power chords dominate, offering players a chance to work on their rhythmic control and dynamics. The contrast between the clean intro and the aggressive verse underlines the emotional range of the song and teaches players how to use tone and articulation to build intensity.

Benefit: Mastering these techniques builds your ability to control tone and timing, crucial for metal rhythm playing.

Chorus – Crushing Power and Melodic Hooks

The chorus in “This Love” is both anthemic and punishing, driven by heavy chord work and precise timing. Dimebag uses syncopated rhythms to inject tension and release, locking in with Vinnie Paul's drums to create a powerful groove.

Benefit: Syncopation training enhances your timing and helps you develop tight rhythm chops essential for modern metal playing.

Solo Section – Emotion and Fire

The solo in "This Love" is a masterclass in expressive metal guitar. Dimebag combines string bending, vibrato, pinched harmonics, and slides to deliver a soaring, emotionally resonant lead.

Benefit: These techniques develop expressive phrasing and help you find your voice on the guitar, turning technical playing into emotional storytelling.

Bridge – Controlled Chaos

The bridge of “This Love” explodes into a section of chugging riffs and squealing harmonics. This part is an ideal practice ground for alternate picking, hammer-ons, and precise use of dive bombs with the whammy bar.

Benefit: Perfecting these techniques improves coordination between both hands and strengthens your ability to perform aggressive metal lead lines with finesse.

Outro – Melodic and Haunting

In the outro, the song circles back to a more melodic feel. Subtle use of harmonics and pull-offs add colour to the final moments of the song.

Benefit: Incorporating these techniques enhances your tonal palette and helps you add nuance to your playing.

Why Learn "This Love"?

Learning “This Love” is more than just mastering a Pantera classic—it’s about developing control, phrasing, aggression, and emotion all in one song. Whether you're an intermediate guitarist wanting to push boundaries or an advanced player aiming to study Dimebag's style in depth, this lesson is packed with opportunities to evolve.

Our note-for-note breakdown ensures that you’ll not only replicate the parts but also understand the feel and phrasing that make the song iconic. Each riff and solo section is slowed down and analyzed to give you full insight into Dimebag’s legendary approach.

Guitar Techniques Featured in "This Love":

• Vibrato
• Alternate Picking
• Hammer-ons
• Pull-offs
• Pinched Harmonics
• Palm Muting
• Power Chords
• String Bending
• Slides
• Dive Bombs
• Harmonics
• Syncopated Rhythms

Take your metal playing to the next level by mastering one of Pantera’s most iconic tracks. Visit LickLibrary.com to start your lesson and experience every riff, every note, and every scream of the fretboard – just as Dimebag intended.