If you are looking for accurate bass tabs and sheet music for “World Painted Blood” by Slayer, get your picking hand ready for a serious workout. Bassist and frontman Tom Araya anchors this relentless thrash metal anthem with aggressive, lightning-fast pick playing, locking in with Dave Lombardo’s frantic kick drums to create a massive wall of sound. Below, you will find the officially licensed sheet music, my Session Notes on dialling in a cutting, overdriven metal bass tone, and a timestamped breakdown to help you practice along with the track.
Listen To The Original Track
Before you dive into the sheet music, press play below and pay close attention to how Tom Araya’s aggressive pick attack perfectly matches the intensity of the kick drums to drive the song forward.
Note: The video below starts from the Intro section at bar 21 on the tab and sheet music (cutting out the drum intro)
Song Structure:
- 0:00 – Intro: The guitars and drums kick off the chaos. The bass enters at 0:16, immediately locking into the driving, chromatic main riff.
- 0:37 – Verse 1: Araya’s vocals kick in. The bass drops into a relentless, chugging rhythm. Focus on keeping your alternate picking hand relaxed but precise.
- 0:57 – Chorus 1: The riff opens up slightly. Make sure your notes ring out clearly with maximum aggression to support the vocal hook.
- 1:07 – Verse 2: Back into the thrash machine. Stamina is key here as you lock back in with Lombardo’s kick drums.
- 1:27 – Chorus 2: Keep the intensity high. The bass needs to maintain the heavy foundation as the song pushes forward.
- 1:38 – Interlude 1: A brief rhythmic shift. Pay close attention to the syncopated hits perfectly matching the guitars.
- 1:54 – Verse 3: The tempo feels like a freight train here. Keep your picking hand strictly locked to the grid.
- 2:15 – Interlude 2: Another shift to break up the verses. Watch your timing on these rapid transitions.
- 2:25 – Verse 4: Dig in hard. The picking-hand endurance test continues.
- 2:46 – Interlude 3: Setting the stage for the solo section. Keep the low-end rock solid.
- 2:57 – Solo: Absolute chaos. As the guitars shred, the bass has to hold down the frantic progression underneath. Don’t lose your place in the madness.
- 3:39 – Break: A heavy, slower groove section. Let the notes breathe a little more here and emphasize the heavy downbeats before the speed inevitably returns.
- 4:25 – Verse 5: The final sprint. Summon whatever stamina you have left in your picking hand.
- 4:45 – Chorus 3: The final chorus. Play it just as aggressively as the first one.
- 4:56 – Interlude 4: The final rhythmic hits leading into the ending sequence.
- 5:07 – Outro: A final barrage of heavy, syncopated stabs before the track abruptly ends.
Song Information
Title: World Painted Blood
Artist: Slayer
Album: World Painted Blood
Bassist: Tom Araya
Difficulty: Intermediate
Tuning: Half-Step Down Tuning
Key: E♯ Minor
Tempo: 186
Bass Diary Entry
The time this album came out was right when I was fully immersed in thrash metal — regularly spinning all of the Big 4, alongside bands like Testament and others from that era. It was a great time musically for me, and Slayer were already firmly on my radar by then.
I first became aware of Slayer back in 2006 when Christ Illusion started causing controversy because of its album artwork, and from that point on I was hooked. So when World Painted Blood was announced for release in 2009, I was genuinely excited to hear what they’d come up with next.
That period was also one where I was going to a lot of gigs and festivals, and I was lucky enough to see this track performed live a few times. First opening the show at The Forum, London in June 2010 at the rescheduled show from 2009, then a week or so later at Sonisphere Poland in 2010 as part of the Big 4 tour, and then again a couple of months later at Sonisphere UK. I definitely got around a bit back then, but experiences like that made songs like this stick even more.
Musically, this track is packed with tasty riffs, and from a bass perspective it’s an absolute blast to play along with. It’s tight, aggressive and constantly driving forward, but still has those moments where the groove really locks in and lets everything breathe just enough before launching back into the chaos.
I actually decided to finally sit down and transcribe this one after spinning World Painted Blood again recently and realising I’d somehow never properly tried to learn it. What followed was a bit of a wild ride — but a very satisfying one. There’s something really rewarding about coming back to a song nearly two decades later and finally getting it under your fingers… better late than never, eh?
Session Notes: Tone & Technique
The Groove & Harmony
This track is a masterclass in thrash metal endurance. World Painted Blood requires relentless picking-hand stamina. Tom Araya’s playing here is all about strict alternate picking and locking perfectly with the double-kick drums. The bass closely mirrors the chaotic, chromatic guitar riffs of Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman, providing the heavy, driving undercurrent that makes the track sound so massive. Make sure your bass is tuned down to Eb Standard (Eb-Ab-Db-Gb) before you start!
Emulating the Thrash Tone
Tom Araya’s signature sound relies on cutting through a dense wall of heavily distorted guitars. You want an aggressive, punchy tone with plenty of metallic attack.
- Use a Pick (and dig in): You absolutely must use a heavy pick for this track to get the necessary speed and sharp attack. Strike the strings hard near the bridge for maximum aggression.
- Boost your High-Mids: Unlike warm, acoustic tones, thrash metal bass needs a healthy dose of high-mid frequencies to clash properly with the guitars and remain audible. Don’t scoop your mids entirely!
- Add some Overdrive: A dedicated bass overdrive or distortion pedal (like a Tech 21 SansAmp or a Darkglass) will give you that gritty, metallic clank that glues the bass and rhythm guitars together.
Get the Official Sheet Music
👉 Download from Sheet Music Direct
👉 Download from Sheet Music Plus
👉 Download from MuseScore
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