Painkiller

Judas Priest, 1990, from Painkiller. Solo by Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing.

A two-guitar assault.

Painkiller is metal at full throttle, and Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing respond with solos to match. After Scott Travis's pounding drum intro, the two guitarists trade leads full of rapid-fire picking, whammy dives and screaming high notes, each trying to outdo the other. Tipton's parts tend to be more structured and melodic, while Downing leans toward wild, chaotic bursts, and the contrast gives the song its charge. The record showed that a band rooted in the 1970s could match the speed and precision of younger thrash acts. The tone is tight, saturated and mid-heavy, built for clarity at speed. Listen for the handoff points between the two players, where each new solo starts with a completely different attitude.

Painkiller by Judas Priest is ranked #173 in our consensus of 79 guitar-solo lists. The solo is played by Glenn Tipton & K.K. Downing and the song was released in 1990. It appears on 4 lists, placing as high as #3 (All About The Rock).

In our lists

• The Modern Canon: Best Since 1990 — #46
• The 25 Greatest Metal Guitar Solos — #19
• Twin Guitars & Harmonies — #14
• The Best Judas Priest Guitar Solos — #1

Sources

• All About The Rock: Top 10 Best Heavy Metal Guitar Solos of All Time — #3
• WatchMojo: Top 10 Heavy Metal Guitar Solos — #5
• DigitalDreamDoor: 200 Greatest Metal Guitar Solos — #9
• Rolling Stone: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — #78
• Guitar Solo Legends: The 100 Greatest Guitar Solos of All Time — Ranked (2026) — #85
• Radio Beat: 88 kytarových sól na Beatu — #85
• Digital Dream Door: 250 Greatest Rock Guitar Solos — #101
• Lefty Fretz: 53 Best Metal Guitar Solos Of All Time