Notice
Ozzy Osbourne, the high priest of heavy metal, returned in 1991 with the crushing No More Tears, the title track being one of the strongest compositions he's ever recorded. The tune opens with an interesting bass lick that repeatedly turns the phrase around, joined after four bars by synthesizer chords (arranged here for guitar) and Zakk Wylde on slide guitar. After eight bars of subtle slide "effects," Zakk introduces a written part made up of single notes combined with triads. This guitar has a heavily distorted tone and is treated with a flange effect. The verse rhythm part is made up of two alternating four-bar phrases, each phrase essentially the same but played two octaves apart; also, the low lick is played without the slide, and the high lick is played with the slide. Extra heaviness is attained as a result of the low E tuned down to D. These licks are based on the D Blues scale (D,F,G,Ab,A,C), as is the chorus figure, which alludes to D Dorian (D,E,F,G,A,B,C) in bars 1,3,5 & 7.
Synthesized string section and orchestra sounds enter at 3:18, moving into a different tempo and theme for the interlude, at 3:37. Just about all of the synthesized string and piano parts have been arranged here for guitar. A new chord progression enters at 3:59, reminiscent of the King Crimson classic, "Court of the Crimson King," over which Zakk introduces a melody (at 4:13) based on D Mixolydian (D,E,F#,G,A,B,C) and D Pentatonic minor (D,F,G,A,C). This leads into Zakk's solo, also based on D Pentatonic minor, and in bars 1-6 his playing sounds like a juiced-up Eric Clapton, with a heavy attack and a fast, wide vibrato. In bars 7-9, he plays a melodic shape in sextuplets, moving up one scale degree of D Pentatonic minor at a time, shifting to a wider stretch and palm-muted 32nds in bar 10, with a riff based on D Aeolian (D,E,F,G,A,Bb,C). Notice the clean articulation and solid touch Zakk achieves.
The song ends with a permutation of the chorus figure, featuring alternating bars of 4/4 and 5/4.