Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett has admitted he still struggles to nail one particular song during live performances, despite decades of experience playing some of hard rock's most demanding riffs. The track is "My Apocalypse" from the band's ninth studio album, "Death Magnetic", which features a fast, intricate guitar part that Hammett plays alone during the song. His admission underlines that even celebrated musicians can find specific compositions uniquely challenging, regardless of overall skill.

Hammett has said the riff only comes off well if he practises it beforehand, warning that without preparation he is "liable to mess it up" since he is the only one playing it live. As a result, "My Apocalypse" has featured in Metallica's setlists only a couple of dozen times, appearing far less frequently than many of the band's better-known songs. Despite being popular among fans, its technical difficulty has largely kept it out of regular rotation.