The top 100 metal guitarists? Let the debate begin...
Let the flailing begin! Guitar World picks the "100 greatest metal guitarists of all time" in its March issue, due out next week. Tony Iommi is numero uno - pretty hard to argue with that.…
"A sinister cabal of superior writers."
Article comments
— go to most recent comments576 - corosian
Houser : Im affraid i must disagree with your opinions. I know its a trend to say that metal sux these days, and that it lowers your ICQ and other shit i hear these days. Actually, if you check out some interviews with rockstars like Blackie Lawless, Bruce Dickinson, Steve Harris, Rob Halford or Alice Cooper, you will eventually find out they are all very intelligent men, unlike stupid italian discomen. I have been brought up around classical music my entire life, i play pianno, flute, and trumpet, and still im able to appreaciate heavy metal. As you might know, metal is a mixture of hard rock and blues, and thats where it originally came from. I have to agree with you that bands like Slipknot, Korn or Cradle of Filth fail to show at least a bit of their music talents, but saying that rock died when disco rised is bullshit. As far as Im concerned disco began in the seventies and still u can c melodic metal bands like Judas Priest and Iron Maiden spwaning from the NWOBHM, and please, dont tell me that these bands are not talented. Halford and Dickinson have such vocal range as any opera singer has. Iron Maiden guitarists play blues scales, and their drummer can be almost clasified as funk drummer, his influences being men like Ringo Starr. And still, the band is clasified as heavy metal.
577 - zingzing
hauser: "Rock never did recover from Disco. Since disco it has become pretty much impossible for non-corporate bands to survive in the corporate music enviroment."
oh horseshit. silly rock went out the window with punk, which created an alternative to the "corporate music environment." ever heard of indie labels? (you can find the best metal there, and that's the way it's been for almost 30 years.) disco and rock, other than for a few years in the late 70s, have always had different audiences.
"As for as I'm concerned it's all pretty generic, and commercial."
um. one of my favorites, boris, puts out mostly 1-track albums that are mostly bass tones. harsh bass tones, but none too commerical. suno))) is another favorite. they rarely employ anything more than evil drones. jesu is absolutely beautiful and often blissful. khanate is frightening. metal has diversified a lot over the years.
"Listening to metal has been scientifically proven to lower the IQ. It's not opinion when there's facts to support it."
and what is it when there aren't facts to support it? you're coming off as an elitist idiot.
BOUCHET: "Outweigh' to exceed in influence. Nice vocabulary brian maybe some day when you graduate from junior high you'll learn to spell. Teabagging? Only someone who listens to metal or rap would be dumb enough to have anal sex."
you make little sense. do you know what teabagging is? and now metal and rap are gay genres? they are (at times) the most homophobic genres out there. if you want to say something bad about metal and rap, why not say that? you are also coming off as an idiot.
corosian: "I know its a trend to say that metal sux these days..."
actually, metal is making a comeback in a way. it's not the same stuff that was coming out in the 80s, or even the 90s, and is much more experimental. i doubt brian (big guppy) would like much of the newer strains, being as he's a bit of a traditionalist, a classicist, if you will... and i usually don't back up brian on his music taste...
but silly men like hauser and bouchet bring it out in me. they have silly opinions that they really couldn't back up if they looked into them, and they say silly things like "disco killed rock" and "metal corrodes your brain." ok. yeah. disco didn't kill anything, old man, and metal does not lower your i.q., mom.
corosian, i agree with lots of what you have to say... except the "stupid italian discomen" thing... where did that come from? can you name an italian "discoman?" like a lot of genres, disco has changed and grown... whatever.
and then there is this doozie: "Iron Maiden guitarists play blues scales, and their drummer can be almost clasified as funk drummer, his influences being men like Ringo Starr."
woof. in what universe does "ringo starr" follow "funk"?
fun.
578 - corosian
"actually, metal is making a comeback in a way"
Well, depends what you mean by saying comeback. If you mean those old metal bands that have ran out of money and now they are just trying to keep their living, yes you are right. But theres no new wave of heavy metal, that is, the old good heavy metal. Only nu-metal and rap - metal shit some genres of extreme metal. But again, how can i argue with someone with a different taste of music.
Stupid italian discomen? Never heard of italian disco? Marvin Precioso? Rings any bell? "like a lot of genres, disco has changed and grown" What the fuck does that mean? Anything to do with italian discomen? I was refering to the disco that i know from the last decade.
"in what universe does "ringo starr" follow "funk"?" - well ok i didnt put the sentence in the righ order, i was just making a point that their drummer also had influences from the softer side of rock.
579 - joesph anderson
i i have see many metal shows and guys that can play no real order 1.steve vai 2.eddie vanhalen 3.malmsten4.george lynch5.joe sat.6.kirk hammit7.dimebag8.ty tybor.9.al pitrile10.marty freedman.11.vivian cambell.tom morrello .
580 - ross
Where is Silenoz or Galder?
581 - Brandont
great, another fuckin thread about fanboys all going "Jimmy Page is god!"
582 - GNR-RIP
Jimmy Page is Good
583 - picklepuppet
Tony Iommi are you high? there's no way at all he could be number one....either eddie, jimi, or Yngwie Malmsteen and all those duel guitarists like Kirk Hammett & James Hetfield and Angus & Malcolm Young. thats dumb, you shouldn't have 2 for 1...what kind of list is this,- a crappy one...at least hendrix isnt #one like on aother lists
584 - I dont have a name dammit
Ok, theres a huge ass debate here and it all kinda revolves around who's the best guitarist. It damn well should, seein as this is a top guitarist list, but anyfuck, theres different reasons why these guys are on here. Lay-ho, or whatever his name is is an amazing technically skilled guitarist. I mean, the begining of Lake Bodom kicks ass, but thats only one aspect of guitar. The guys from Lamb of God are just the about the same skill level, same as Bjorn or whatever from In Flames. But theres guitarists like I dunno, he's sure as hell not metal but Eric Clapton who pioneered somethin new in guitar. Then theres the classic guys like Malcom Young who are decent guitarists technically, but they have ideas beyond making the song as hard as hell to play as they can. I do feel its unfair though that the true metal guitarist of today who are amazing technical players were closer to the bottom of the list. I mean, KISS over Alexi Laiho? Theres something wrong with that. KISS was an awesome band for the time, but I mean, theres no fuckin way they have made more effort in their instramentalism (wtf?) as Children of Bodom. Hmm, if you read all this, I appreciate the shitload of thinking you'll do on this subject. Thanks, oh, and In Flames rocks the fuck out of my socks. Give em a listen.
585 - steve harris
every one has a opion without tony o .and jimi h you would have alot of guys on the list .. just ask them if you meet alot guys you speak about my list goes as follows. 1.eddie van halen 2.steve vai 3.joe sat 4.malmsteen 5.george lynch underratted 6 kirk h 7.marty freedman 8.ty tybor underatted.9.randy rhoads10.dimebag 11.paul gilbert 12.steve ray vau.13.john petr.14.and alot more dont take it personal no real order every name here can rip...
586 - meahefij
meh, Jimmy Hendrix isnt metal, hes like psychadelic rock/blues.
This is definately a better list than the Rolling Stone magazines version
I pretty much agree with "i dont have a name dammit"
Opeth has decent guitarists aswell, they definately need a more a mention in there.
587 - adil
i see a lot of bullshitting about dimebag
remember he was an amazing guitarist
588 - Oli
Hauser and Bouchet are more then right. Not only is rock dead, but musical evolution has ran it's course. All the good blues rockers are dead or well past their prime. All the good classical musicians are dead or very old. Certainly all the good classical composers are long dead. Art rock reached it's peak over a generation ago. Rap, that's not music. Neither is death metal. As far as metal in general, Guns and Roses, and Metallica are mere shadows of what they once were, and they were never good bands to begin with. Van Halens style got old after the first album. Will Yngwie ever learn to play a solo that actually works in the context of a real song, or come up with a real song for that matter. Korn, Tool, You've got to be kidding. I feel sorry for kids nowdays. They don't know what they missed.
589 - campo
buckethead is waaay better than kirk hammett, trey azagthoth is underrated and ralph santolla ought to be on that list (in the top 20 AT least-listen to his solo on homage for satan) having said that jack owen should be to. personally dimebag is good yet is overrated.
590 - campo
was reading the comments and OH MY GOD mossey u seem to write a life story when this is just a forum where a few sentences are required, NOT an essay that takes forever to read (has to be read twice because of the load of bollocks that u write) finally FYI it was slayer-reign in blood that was the ''heaviest album of all time''
591 - Hedgehog
Okey here is a fair and square list and its kinda true too tho! dont like it plz comment and explain why dont just be a lame ass and pretend to know..!
1. Dimebag Darrel (Pantera, Damaplan)
2. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
3. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (Megadeth)
4.Kirk Hammet & Hetfield (Metallica)
5. Eric Clapton (Cream, solo)
6. Jimi Hendrix (Jimi hendrix experience)
7. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman( Slayer)
8. Zakk Wylde (Ozzy osbourne. Black label society)
9. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
10. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
11. Herman Li & Sam Totman (Dragonforce)
12. Alexi Lahio (Children of bodom)
13. Angus & Malcom young (AC/DC)
14. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
15. Glen Tripton & K.K Downing (Judas Priest)
16. Slash (Guns n' roses)
17. Yngwie malmsteen
18. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)
19. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
20. Steve Vai (David Lee Roth)
21. Brian May (Queen)
22. John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
23. Joe Satarni
24. Adam Jones (Tool)
25. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (Queensryche)
26. Fast Eddie Clarke (Motorhead)
27. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (Think lizzy)
28. Pete Townshend (The Who)
29. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper)
30. Silenoz & Galder (Dimmu Borgir)
31. Mark Morton & Will Adler (Lamb Of God)
32. Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
33. Wayne Static (Static-X)
34. Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)
35. Phil demmel & Robert Flynn (Machine head)
36. Matt DeVries & Rob arnold (Chimaira)
37.Adam Zadel & Shaun Glass (Soil)
38. Euroboy (turbonegro)
592 - Jimi returns
Guitar World got it ALL wrong.
In my opinion, this is a bad list.
PS: (Where is Herman Li? lol)
593 - Someone
That l.Really, it cant be true that alexi laiho is the 96th.Someone can say that he is just fast but his riffs and solos are awesome, not only fast.He should be in the top 10.And I say that Dimebag Darrel should be in the top 3. R.I.P dime.
594 - Hedgehog
i didn't have the time to fill up my list so here you've got it
1. Dimebag Darrel (Pantera, Damaplan)
2. Dave Murray & Adrian Smith (Iron Maiden)
3. Dave Mustaine & Marty Friedman (Megadeth)
4. Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin)
5. Eric Clapton (Cream, solo)
6. Jimi Hendrix (Jimi hendrix experience)
7. Kerry King & Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)
8. Zakk Wylde (Ozzy osbourne. Black label society)
9. Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
10. Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
11. Herman Li & Sam Totman (Dragonforce)
12. James hetfield & Hammet (Metallica)
13. Angus & Malcom young (AC/DC)
14. Alexi Lahio (Children of bodom)
15. Glen Tripton & K.K Downing (Judas Priest)
16. Slash (Guns n' roses)
17. Yngwie malmsteen
18. Ace Frehley & Paul Stanley (KISS)
19. Randy Rhoads (OZZY OSBOURNE)
20. Steve Vai (David Lee Roth)
21. Brian May (Queen)
22. John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
23. Joe Satarni
24. Adam Jones (Tool)
25. Chris Degarmo & Michael Wilton (Queensryche)
26. Fast Eddie Clarke (Motorhead)
27. Scott Gorham & Brian Robertson (Thin lizzy)
28. Pete Townshend (The Who)
29. Glen Buxton & Michael Bruce (Alice Cooper)
30. Silenoz & Galder (Dimmu Borgir)
31. Mark Morton & Will Adler (Lamb Of God)
32. Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
33. Wayne Static (Static-X)
34. Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)
35. Phil demmel & Robert Flynn (Machine head)
36. Matt DeVries & Rob arnold (Chimaira)
37. Adam Zadel & Shaun Glass (Soil)
38. Euroboy (turbonegro)
39. Alex Leifson (Rush)
40. Jim Martin (Faith no more)
41. Mick & James (Slipknot)
42. Head & Munkey (KoRn)
43. Daron Malakian (System of a down)
44. Michael McCready & Gossard (Pearl Jam)
45. Chuck Schuldiner (Death)
46. Tony Bourge (Budgie)
47. Kenny Hickey (Danzig)
48. Wolf Hoffman & Fischer (Accept)
49. Nuno Bettencourt (Extreme, Mourning Widows)
50. Vernon Reid (living colour)
Okey if you dont like plz make a comment that makes sence instead of just saying that you don't like it!
Thank you.
595 - Elvis
Well I not going to give my list of great Metal/Rock Guitar players of all time, as I have my own ideas(like everyone else!). But sometimes these lists are sometimes made on peoples own options and how well known a guitarist is....
596 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
1. Dimebag Darrel (Pantera, Damaplan)
I'm sorry that he was tragically murdered, BUT - No F*cking way is he numero uno!!(as for why?, read below)
I agree with post #595 - We all have our own ideas, though, wether or not Mr. Malmsteen may claim to be a guitarist, he did the most re-inventing & pioneering than any musician could ever do for this genre...PERIOD!! He is the reason why classical was honored in the heaviest of Metal. MALMSTEEN IS GOD!!
597 - Brian
#23 is Joe SATRIANI, not Sartani or whatever you put in. Watch the new dvd he has out and tell me he isn't worthy of being ranked higher if not #1.
598 - charley
+hendrix wasnt metal but other wise he should be first metallica kicks everyones ass mega death cant even come close to "one" seriously name one song that mega death made that is even a wisp of "one"
599 - VK
Sorry but... Maybe I am a bit crazy, but I think that Hideto "hide" Matsumoto [X-JAPAN] should be into the list...
600 - Gunnah
Top list SHOULD be:
1. Hendrix
2. Satriani
3. Malmsteen
4. Vai
5. Van Halen
6. Clapton
7. Page
8. Darrell
9. Iommi
10. Wylde
Anyone disagree!?
601 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"Anyone disagree!?
Yup...I do. Hendrix,Page,Clapton & EVH were NOT Metal guitarists!
Here's how the list should look:
1. Yngwie J. Malmsteen
2. Andy LaRocque
3. Chris Impelliteri
4. Ron Jarzombek
5. John Petrucci
6. Alex Scholnick
7. Dave Murray
8. Rand Burkey
9. Steve Vai
10. Tony Iommi
602 - Zeppelin6
What about Synester Gates?? I know Avenged sevenfold is new, but he's an amazing guitarist. Metal is still alive, though it has changed
603 - Sicktomystomach
Wow this list is really screwed up. Why do metal fans think that metal is so cutting edge.Please tell me this is all just a bad joke
604 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"Why do metal fans think that metal is so cutting edge."
Well, I guess that depends on what you consider "Metal".
605 - Justtossedmycookies
I know metal has been redefined in recent years. It seems that anyone who can play an actual song is not considered metal today. Brian your sense of musicality is pretty warped. Yngwie, GOD? What a sick joke. If I want to hear the harmonic minor I would prefer to hear someone who can use it in a musical context.
606 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"Brian your sense of musicality is pretty warped."
Sure, on a classical scale, Yngwie may not be the best but were talking Metal Guitarists! If I have to explain what that man did for Metal then you should just move your ill-informed mind over to the alt/indie shite section.
All in all, none of you have answered my question.I could bet you dollars to donuts that you have no clue what a real Metal offering might be!
607 - Purged
And you know what else bites about todays metal guitarists? Their idea of improving their tone production is to add another stomp box and play louder. Good tone production is the difference between a good guitarist and a mediocre one. There aren't more then a few guitarists on this list to have even achieved a level of mediocrity.
608 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
*F*ck This*... It's so easy for you hacks to cut down Yngwie because there hasn't been anyone like him since. So, Mr. Musicality...why don't you tell me who would be a better pick and why!? Remember, this is a Metal list so don't go dropping your classical names on me,i.e. Christopher Parkening, Dijengo Reinhardt(?)
609 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"Their idea of improving their tone production is to add another stomp box and play louder."
Again,clearly,someone who probably hasn't made it past Slipknot in their listening experience...
610 - gonzo marx
might i suggest that Dimebag is indeed important enough for top 10, top 25 at the least...
and Fast Eddy from Motorhead needs to be brought up, imo
plenty of others, in many bands over the years, but without objective criteria, it al comes down to who scratches that headbanging itch
Scott Ian does it for some, while Malmsteen does it for others
vive la differance, imo
Excelsior?
611 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"...without objective criteria"
My criteria has always been about the guitarists that not only influenced others but re-invented the genre.Plus, I feel that alot of people are stuck on this heavy Blues/Doom kick when they speak of metal. Imo, that narrows the field significantly.
612 - gonzo marx
i hear ya Brian..as a former *metal* bassist, i've always been about innovation...bringing something new to the table, as it were
hence my early predilection towards Rush and Sabbath when my high school contemporaries were listening to Zeppelin and Floyd
but i digress...
Excelsior?
613 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
I totally agree, Gonzo. I'm a Metal/(wannabe)Fusion drummer and I have always loved when a musician could spin my brain with emotion filled complexity.
Though, for me, in H.S. people were stuck on 80's new wave & glam rock. I was always looking for something challenging and was dropped into the world of Watchtower,Death,Fates Warning, Dream Theater, Atheist and OFCOURSE, first and foremost, Iron Maiden.
614 - gonzo marx
yer a bit younger than me, so it all makes a lot of sense
no worries, bro'
and for you, a Treat...we all know how important Maiden was in the genre...
but before them, there was this Stuff...
but this guy changed my View on so much in Music way back when videos could only be found on Don Kirchner or the Midnite Special
Excelsior?
615 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Oh Yes...Thin Lizzy:) My fav is the Cowboy Song. I can say they had the twin leads first & the celtic feel. I do give'em props.
Little did people know what to do when they heard these guys nor did they realize how much this band influence metal nowadays.
Here's some more crazy Stuff for ya... I love the leads.
616 - Youjustgotyourasskicked
Ok doofusmaximus, Buck Dharma. Oh wait a minute. He actually plays leads that work so he is not metal. Page, oh no wait he can play songs that make sense too. Pete Townsend, whoops, he has a sense of composition, sorry. If yngwie is going to pretend to be classical then comparison is unavoidable. If he doesn't measure up who's to blame for that. I've also heard the rest of the poser bands you listen to and they're all about as much of a joke as you are. You don't even know when you've been bested. I'm obviously not the first to make an ass out of you. But, I'm sure you were the first. Here's a clue. If your going to rant at least make sure you know something about the subject to begin with, you music hating fool.
617 - gonzo marx
for comment #16 - you are so full of shit, yer eyes are brown and seeping...
do show something to back up yer claims of pwnage...
ya can't
nowhere did Brian ever state that Townsend, Page et all weren't great fucking guitar players...
they just ain't Metal...and if ya look at the topic...well, either ya can't comprehend simple english...or ya know shit about the genre
step up or step off, junior...
Excelsior?
618 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Come on now, don't cry lackofanamebecauseyourascaredasslittlef*ckingpanzy. It makes you look useless...I'm sorry, your writing already does that.
Keep whipping out all your useless dated,non-metal guitarists because you have no sense of anyone that f*cking Rolling Stone magazine hasn't mentioned.
"If your going to rant at least make sure you know something about the subject to begin with, you music hating fool."
Hey, you're the moron who says Yngwie can't compose.LOL!! I'm pretty sure he could compose any of that basic easy shite that The Who has ever released...Yea, I'm pretty sure I could do that as well.
619 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Well, Thank You Gonzo!! I do truly appreciate the B.C. back-up!!
"I'm pretty sure he could compose any of that basic easy shite that The Who has ever released.
Actually, I apologize, I shouldn't have dropped to that @$$hole's level. I like The Who and Pete Townsend was a great guitarist. I may not have liked Jimmy Page but I cannot deny his talent. The Blue Oyster cult was pretty damn good as well. Personally, I'd much rather listen to classic rock than any of the boring, mediocre modern rock that's choking the airwaves...
620 - gonzo marx
how about some Education here...
this is a song by the original Artist...New Wave...well written/composed...solid stuff of Rock
this is the same song....but done in Metal mode
if ya can't hear the difference, there ain't no helping...but i'd advise having headphones crazy glued to yer ears while the entire discography of this band plays on an endless loop
nuff said...
Excelsior?
621 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"nuff said..." & Well Said!!
Just an F.Y.I.(Not a diss @ Mr. Marx): Anthrax was considered NYHC before & during their reign of success, thus, that is why they covered hardcore & punk influencing tunes such as the Joe Jackson cover(which is f*cking great, might I add)and "Protest & Survive" which was a Discharge tune.
While you're catching up on some Anthrax, check out these guys because they took it to another level!!
622 - gonzo marx
ripping tune d00d!
well am i Aware of what they called Anthrax...and my band at the time, among many others...
the HC scene in NYC and down the Jersey Shore and Philly was a bit of a catch all for many new modes of Sound at the time...most within it referred to Anthrax and the like as "skate rat"...a new version of Surf stylings to many
but the HC at the time, which spawned all kinds of sub-genres, tended to have one common Concept in it...
Motorhead showed the Way in that bands had one foot in the Punk ethic, and the other in Metal (Sabbath and the like)...skate rat, grindcore, thrash...all came from that Scene, those and more
so i tend to take the various Spawn stylings of Metal and differentiate on their Labels...
but it's still all Metal...and still all Rock 'n' Roll ta yer olde gonzo...
Excelsior?
623 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
Most Definitely, I do concur with your points 100%.
I do get carried away with labels but that's how I was introduced and that's how I "kept it real" with my friends back in the day.
"Motorhead showed the Way in that bands had one foot in the Punk ethic, and the other in Metal."
Yea, Maiden was that way for me, especially with their s/t & Killers album. Then I stumbled upon Ironchrist(Sorry,couldn't find an A/V link). Unfortunately, they only had one major outing & disappeared but they definitely blurred the lines of Punk & Metal.
624 - Shouldhavestoppedwhileyouwerebehind
Metal heads are all the same. They sit around and talk down to the rest of the world about that which they know little if anything about. That being music among other things. Then they act angry when someone who knows better gets the upperhand in the conversation. So they isolate themselves, and pat each other on the back attempting to legitimize one another. When someone offers up something they can't understand they simply dismiss it saying thats not metal. And people say Classical musicians are arrogant. At least Classical players have a point. Metal is about a half step away from rap, and that's being generous. As far as your retorts, maybe if you learned to spell I might get something more out of them. You spell about like your metal head heroes, or is it whoroes, play
625 - Brian aka Guppusmaximus
"Metal is about a half step away from rap, and that's being generous."
Blah,Blah,Blah... Sure, whatever you say. You win!
You are so intelligent and I can't spell nor do I know anything about music.
That's kinda funny seeing how you haven't pointed out one fact other than that you have a retarded opinion.
You still haven't answered my question from
post# 604...