• Song:

    Desert Rain

  • Artist:

    Iced Earth

  • Album:

    The Blessed and the Dam...

Iced Earth:  Desert Rain

transcribed by: Russ Elton (vicelton@yahoo.com)
with help from: Joe Grazulis (sidecar_joe@hotmail.com)
                Vassilis Androutsopoulos (Billy_270@hotmail.com)
                Chris Van Lommel (Chris.Vanlommel@siemens.atea.be)

FIND EVERY ICED EARTH SONG AND
THE MOST UPDATED VERSION OF THIS SONG AT:

                          The Frozen Palace
                  http://truemetal.org/icedearth/

Date last modified:  01/12/02
  
PLEASE DO NOT COPY THIS TAB TO ANOTHER SITE 
WITHOUT AUTHORS' PERMISSION.  THANK YOU.

Tuning: Eb

Intro   

Guitar 1           x2                                        x2
eb|-0--0--0--0--0-0-|-7-10-8-8-8-8--7-8-7-7-7-7-|-5-7-0-0-0-0-|
Bb|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|
Gb|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|
Db|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|
Ab|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|
Eb|-----------------|---------------------------|-------------|

Guitar 2 (listen for timing)
eb|-9h10h12-9h10h12-|
Bb|-----------------|
Gb|-----------------|
Db|-----------------|
Ab|-----------------|
Eb|-----------------|

Repeat the above, then play:
                            x2                                   
eb|--2-3-5-3-2-3-2-0-0-0-0-0-|
Bb|--------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------|
Db|--------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------|
Eb|--------------------------|

eb|--7-8-7-7-7-7--5-7-5-5-5-5--3-5-3-2-3-2-0--|
Bb|-------------------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------------------|
Db|-------------------------------------------|
Ab|-------------------------------------------|
Eb|-------------------------------------------|


Riff 1
eb|----------------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------------|
Gb|----------------------------------------|
Db|-----9-----12-----10----9-----10-----9--|
Ab|-----7-----10------8----7------8-----7--|
Eb|-0-0---0-0----0-0---------0-0----0-0----|
    * *   * *    * *         * *    * *

eb|---------------------------------|
Bb|---------------------------------|
Gb|---------------------------------|
Db|-7-----9----------7-----9--------|
Ab|-5-----7-----2----5-----7-----2--|
Eb|---0-0---0-0-0------0-0---0-0-0--|
      * *   * *        * *   * * 


Riff 2                                                                     
eb|-------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------------|
Db|-9-----12-----10-----10-----10101010-|
Ab|-7-----10------8------8------8-8-8-8-|
Eb|---0-0----0-0----0-0----0-0----------|
      * *    * *    * *    * *
eb|----------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------|
Gb|----------------------------------|
Db|-9-----10-----9-----9-----9-9-9-9-|
Ab|-7------8-----7-----7-----7-7-7-7-|
Eb|---0-0----0-0---0-0---0-0---------|
      * *    * *   * *   * *       x2     
eb|---------------------------------|
Bb|---------------------------------|
Gb|---------------------------------|
Db|-7-----9-------------------------|
Ab|-5-----7-----2-------------------|
Eb|---0-0---0-0-0-000-0-000-000-000-|
      * *   * *   *** * *** *** *** 

Ending to riff 2:
eb|-----------------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------------|
Db|-4-----5-----7-----5-----4---5---4-|
Ab|-2-----3-----5-----3-----2---3---2-|
Eb|---0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0---0---0---|
      * *   * *   * *   * *   *   *    
eb|-------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------|
Db|-------------------------------|
Ab|-----2-------------------------|
Eb|-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-|
    * *   * * * * * * * * * * * * 


Riff 3
eb|------------------------------|
Bb|------------------------------|
Gb|------------------------------|
Db|-9-10-9-------12-12-12--10-10-|
Ab|-7--8-7-7-777-10-10-10---8--8-|
Eb|------------------------------|
           * ***
   "The sympathy..."
eb|------------------------------------|
Bb|------------------------------------|
Gb|------------------------------------|
Db|-9-10-9----------999-777-101010-----|
Ab|-7--8-7-7-777-7-----------------888-|
Eb|------------------------------------|
           * *** *  *** ***  * * * ***
   "...is growing cold..."
eb|------------------------------|
Bb|------------------------------|
Gb|------------------------------|
Db|-9-10-9-------12-12-12--10-10-|
Ab|-7--8-7-7-777-10-10-10---8--8-|
Eb|------------------------------|
           * ***
   "Life is like..."
eb|------------------------------------|
Bb|------------------------------------|
Gb|------------------------------------|
Db|-9-10-9----------999-777------------|
Ab|-7--8-7-7-777-7----------101010-888-|
Eb|------------------------------------|
           * *** *  *** ***  * * * ***
   "...so I'm told..."


Riff 4
eb|----------------------------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------------------------|
Gb|----------------8-----------------------------------|
Db|-----999-7-9-10---10-9~-9\-----999-7-9-10-9-7-------|
Ab|----------------------------------------------8~-8\-|
Eb|-0-0-----------------------0-0----------------------|
    * *                       * * 


Play Riff 3   "Through the sands..."


Play Riff 4   the second time, guitar 2 plays this:
eb|----------------------------------------------7~--|
Bb|----------------8-------------------------7-8-----|
Gb|-----999----8-9---9-8~-8\------999----8-9---------|
Db|---------10------------------------10-------------|
Ab|--------------------------------------------------|
Eb|-0-0-----------------------0-0--------------------|
    * *                       * * 

Riff 5
Guitar 1 (listen to song for timing)
eb|---------------|
Bb|---------------|
Gb|---------------|
Db|---------------|
Ab|-7777777777...-|
Eb|---------------|
    **********       
eb|----------------------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------------------|
Gb|----------------------------------------------|
Db|----------------------------------------------|
Ab|-555555555555-8888-1010101010101010-88888888--|
Eb|----------------------------------------------|
    ************ ****  * * * * * * * * ******** 

Guitar 2                          x2
eb|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Gb|-13-12-10h12p10-9~--------------|------/12-10--9h10-9~--9-9h10-9~-|
Db|-------------------7-9-7h9-7-6~-|-7--9---------a----------a-------|
Ab|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|
Eb|--------------------------------|---------------------------------|

Last time
eb|-------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------|
Gb|-9------/12-10--9h10-9~---9-9h10-9~\-|
Db|---7--9---------a-----------a----a---|
Ab|-------------------------------------|
Eb|-------------------------------------|


Riff 6
Guitar 1                               x2
eb|-------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------------|
Db|-------------------------------------|
Ab|-2-------2-------2-------------0-----|
Eb|-0-0-000-0-0-000-0-0-000-0-1-3---3-1-|
      * ***   * ***   * *** * * * * * *  
    "Desert rain..."
eb|-------------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------------|
Db|-7-------7-------7-------5-8-7-5-----|
Ab|-5-5-555-5-5-555-5-5-555---------8-5-|
Eb|-------------------------------------|
      * ***   * ***   * ***       * * *  
    "It's calling me..."

1st ending
eb|--------------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------------|
Db|-9-----------------------5--7-9-|
Ab|-7-------2-------2-------3--5-7-|
Eb|---0-000-0-0-000-0-0-000--------|
      * ***   * ***   * ***
    "...rise..."
2nd ending
eb|------------------------------|
Bb|------------------------------|
Gb|------------------------------|
Db|-9-----------------------5--7-|
Ab|-7-------2-------2-------3--5-|
Eb|---0-000-0-0-000-0-0-000------|
      * ***   * ***   * ***
    "...rise..."


Guitar 2   
eb|----------------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------4-6-4------|
Db|-6-------6-------6-------6-7-------7-6~-|
Ab|----------------------------------------|
Eb|---0-000---0-000---0-000----------------|
      * ***   * ***   * ***
eb|-----------------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------------|
Gb|---------------------------4-6-4---|
Db|-------6-------6-------6-7-------7-|
Ab|-----------------------------------|
Eb|---000-0-0-000---0-000-------------|
    * ***   * ***   * ***
1st ending
eb|-----------------------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------------------|
Gb|-----------4----7----4--------4-6-4------|
Db|-6----7-------------------6-7-------7-6~-|
Ab|-----------------------------------------|
Eb|-----------------------------------------|
2nd ending
eb|----------------------------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------------------------|
Gb|-----------4----7----4~-----------------------------|
Db|-6----7------------------------6-------6-------5--7-|
Ab|-----------------------------------------------3--5-|
Eb|-------------------------0-000---0-000---0-000------|
                            * ***   * ***   * ***

Riff 7
eb|-------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------|
Db|---------3-----5-----6-----6-5-|
Ab|---------3-----5-----6-----6-5-|
Eb|-0-0-0-0---0-0---0-0---0-0-----|
    * * * *   * *   * *   * * 


Riff 8 (Solo Rhythm, pedal notes vary from three notes to two)
eb|---------------------------------|
Bb|---------------------------------|
Gb|---------------------------------|
Db|-7-----7-----7-----7-----7---8\7-|
Ab|-5-555-5-555-5-5-5-5-555-5-0-6\5-|
Eb|---------------------------------|
      ***   ***   * *   ***
eb|-----------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------|
Db|-7-----7-----7-----7-----8-8-|
Ab|-5-555-5-555-5-5-5-5-5-5-6-6-|
Eb|-----------------------------|
      ***   ***   * *   *** 

Riff 8a (Solo Rhythm, pedal notes vary from three notes to two)
eb|----------------------------------|
Bb|----------------------------------|
Gb|----------------------------------|
Db|-9-----9-----9-----9-----9---10\9-|
Ab|-7-777-7-777-7-7-7-7-777-7-0--8\7-|
Eb|----------------------------------|
      ***   ***   * *   *** 
eb|-------------------------------|
Bb|-------------------------------|
Gb|-------------------------------|
Db|-9-----9-----9-----9-----10-10-|
Ab|-7-777-7-777-7-7-7-7-777--8--8-|
Eb|-------------------------------|
      ***   ***   * *   *** 


Play Riff 8  Solo Rhythm



Riff 9 (The DOP version doesn't have the triplet)
Guitar 1
eb|--------------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------------|
Db|----------7---------------------|
Ab|-7-9910-9---10-9-7--10-9-7-6-7~-|
Eb|--------------------------------|

eb|--------------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------------|
Db|----------7--------10-9-7-------|
Ab|-7-9910-9---10-9-7--------10-9~-|
Eb|--------------------------------|

Guitar 2 (Comes in the second time)
eb|-----------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------|
Gb|---------5-------------------|
Db|-5-779-7---9-7-5--9-7-5-4-5~-|
Ab|-----------------------------|
Eb|-----------------------------|
    * *** * * * * *  * * * * 
eb|-----------------------------|
Bb|-----------------------------|
Gb|---------5--------9-7-5------|
Db|-5-779-7---9-7-5--------9-7~-|
Ab|-----------------------------|
Eb|-----------------------------|
    * *** * * * * *  * * * * 


Riff 10
(Guitar 2 plays top notes after awhile)  1,3,4 time  2nd time
eb|--------------------------------------|-----------|--------|
Bb|-----10-8-7-8~---8-7-5-7~---7-5-3-5~--|-----------|--------|
Gb|------9-7-6-7~---7-6-4-6~---6-4-2-4~--|-----------|--------|
Db|--------------------------------------|-----------|--------|
Ab|--------------------------------------|-----------|-----5--|
Eb|-0------------------------------------|---0-3-3---|--0--3--|
                                             * * *      *

Riff 11 (Clean)
eb|--------------------------------------------------------|
Bb|--------------------------------------------------------|
Gb|--------------------------------------------------------|
Db|----------5---4--4--444-5-4------------5---4--4-444-5-7-|
Ab|----------7---5--5----------5----------7---5--5---------|
Eb|-0--0-0-0---0-----------------0--0-0-0---0--------------|
       * * *   *                    * * *   * 
   "A world of hate..."

Riff 11a (distortion)
Guitar 1
eb|---------------------------------------------------------|
Bb|---------------------------------------------------------|
Gb|---------------------------------------------------------|
Db|---------5---5-4----444-5-4-----------5---5-4----444-5-7-|
Ab|---------7---7-5------------5---------7---7-5------------|
Eb|-0-000-0---0------------------0-000-0---0----------------|
    * *** *   *                  * *** *   * 
   "We shall rise and conquer..."

Guitar 2 (during 'the serpent rides with me')
eb|---------------------------------------|
Bb|------10-10/12----12-------10----------|
Gb|-11-12----------9----11--12---11--9----|
Db|------------------------------------12-|
Ab|---------------------------------------|
Eb|---------------------------------------|

eb|----------------------------------------|
Bb|-------10-10/12----12--------10---------|
Gb|-11-12-----------9----11--12----11------|
Db|-----------------------------------12-9-|
Ab|----------------------------------------|
Eb|----------------------------------------|

eb|---------------------------------------|
Bb|------10-10/12----12-------10----------|
Gb|-11-12----------9----11--12---11--9----|
Db|------------------------------------12-|
Ab|---------------------------------------|
Eb|---------------------------------------|

eb|-----------------------------------------------|
Bb|-------10-10/12----12-/15----15----15~-15~-15~-|
Gb|-11-12----------9---------14----14-14~-14~-14~-|
Db|-----------------------------------------------|
Ab|-----------------------------------------------|
Eb|-----------------------------------------------|

Lead into next section:
eb|-------------|
Bb|-------------|
Gb|-------------|
Db|-------------|
Ab|-------0-----|
Eb|-0-1-3---3-1-|
    * * * * * * 

Play Riff 6   "Desert rain..."

End solo
eb|--------------------------------------------------|
Bb|-12--/17-17~--17~--17~--/21-21--\12-12~--12~--12~-|
Gb|--------------------------------------------------|
Db|--------------------------------------------------|
Ab|--------------------------------------------------|
Eb|--------------------------------------------------|

eb|-/14-14~--17~--19~--21~--19~--19~--|
Bb|-----------------------------------|
Gb|-----------------------------------|
Db|-----------------------------------|
Ab|-----------------------------------|
Eb|-----------------------------------|

eb|-21-19-17---------------17----------|
Bb|---------21-19-17-19-21----21-19-17-|
Gb|------------------------------------|
Db|------------------------------------|
Ab|------------------------------------|
Eb|------------------------------------|


Notation:

10b12      = pick the 10th fret, then bend to the 12th fret.
10b12r10   = pick the 10th fret, then bend to the 12th fret,
             then release to the 10th fret.
[10]12r10  = bend to the 12th fret from the 10th fret, pick,
             then release to the 10th fret.
10b12 [14] = pick the 14th fret while holding the previous bend.

10b15*     = tremolo bar bend, from the 10th fret to the 15th fret.
7d2*       = tremolo bar dive, from the 7th fret to the 2nd fret. 
12~*       = tremolo bar vibrato.

x   =  mute with fret-hand
*   =  palm mute
X\\ =  pick slide
h   =  hammer-on
p   =  pull-off
~   =  vibrato
t   =  finger tap
/   =  slide up
\   =  slide down
h   =  natural harmonics
a   =  artificial harmonics
(9) =  ghost note
tm  =  trem picking
tr  =  trill
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