Best metal bass riffs...best metal bass player...

Originally posted by Fortunesmith
I finally went out and did my homework...I got copy of Mind Journey off ebay last week. The bass riffs indeed rule. This is the first I have heard of Barry Sparks, but color me impressed. I am not to impressed with the production of the CD, though. Actually, its dowright bad with the exception of the vocals. Normally, I'm not a huge fan of this style of singing, but John West is a major exception. I almost consider his vocals a guilty pleasure. The guy has an amazing voice. The song he was featured on from James Murphy's 'Feeeding the MAchine' always come to mind. (Right, Steve?) But anyways, what other bands feature Barry Sparks on bass? I am interested to hear him some more, maybe with a better production mix this time.

Barry Sparks also played in Cosmosquad, their music sounds like prog rock, fusion, funk ... its hard to describe but his basswork is very good. He is one of the better I have heard sofar.
 
okayokay, les claypool is not exactlymetal, but he did some funky thins to his fretless i never really worked out...
cliff burton of course.
johan de farfalla on the first two opeth-records. his work on morningrise was so great that mikael threw him out of the band because he got too important :)
and then, finally, ryan martinie, five-string monster of mudvayne. totally unique style of both playing and writing combined with being technically above... now hate me for bringing newmetal into the discussion ;)
 
I would add Robert Trujillo ( ex-Suicidal Tendencies , ex-Ozzy)
 
And for those who likes extreme metal. B. War from Marduk
 
Opeth's bass players have always been interesting to listen to, very creative. Lately I've also been appreciating the work of Tyr in one form or another, but on Borknagar's Empiricism in particular he does some stunning stuff.
 
I think you are all forgeting all the great jazz players that have forged the way metal is played. Jaco Pastorius is one of these great players. Without him along with bassists like Geddy Lee and Marcus Miller there would not really be any intresting bass parts.

Martin Mendez is one of the best bass players i have ever seen. He is a Jaco Pastorius fan and he plays a Marcus Miller sig jazz bass which sounds fantasic. Steve Harris is a highly orignal bass player, but not in the same way as any of the jazz or prog greats. Steve Harris is not really a bass players bass player. A bass players bass player is someone like Stu Hamm, who could come under the header of rock as he has played with steve vai and many more guitar playing gods. Billy Sheehan has to rate far higher on the scale of bass players, higher than Steve Harris. What is the point of sheer speed without doing anything intresting. Alex webster is an example of this. I can play 16th at 200 bpm, but thats only through practice for weeks and weeks doing nothing else. It was dull, at the end i thought what was the point, i can play faster than Steve Harris but there nothing past a 4/4 metal beat.
 
i like cola.







anyways....

Steve Di FUCKIN' Giorgio!!!!
Roger Patterson (RIP)
Sean Malone
Tony Choy
Lars K. Norberg
Cliff Burton (started me off playing bass, RIP)
Jaco

many more....


i cannot be fuckeredided.:)
 
Though he is classified as a guitar player, I would say that playing an 8-string guitar classifies him as a low frequency engineer.

I have to give credit Frederick Thordendal (Meshuggah) for his cerebral explosion of rhythmic and temporal competence.

...and if nothing else, Meshuggah’s bass player for being able to think through that shit...
The things Meshuggah does are quite original, no matter how you classify them.
 
Keyser's performance on Control and resistance is brilliant. Harmonics, advanced melodic sense and exotic scalar patterns make this record a true bass masterpiece. As for our beloved Steve I will never forget my best friends reaction to Steve doubling the kick drums on the opening track of Iced Earth's Horror show. Simply just precise sixteenth notes played at an insane tempo for the bass guitar and tou can hear it.

Roger Patterson was a great musician, Atheist wrote some fantastic quirky tunes.

Harris was a legend. Look he still is

Geezers work on on Crossed Purposes- fantastic.

Geddy Lee well he is the band basically.

Rex from Pantera for exactly getting those subtle bends and vibrato on the early good records from Cowboys thru to Vulgar

Cliff williams from AC/DC- it takes a certain art to play precision 8th notes all night, play it perfectly and make it groove. You probably have to see AC/DC live to truly appreciate the robotic automaton precision of the rhythm section of Williams, Phil Rudd and Malcom Young. Once seen never forgotten. And please do this the next time someone says the bass is easy. turn on the metronome and get them to play in time precise 8th notes for two minutes, no mistakes, no flams, no variations in tone or volume or feel. If they pass they can play. However they won't.
 
Les Claypool (Primus) is a funky meister on bass!!!
 
dimensionidol said:
maybe is usual but my favourite metal bass players are:

-steve di giorgio
-steve harris
-geezer butler
-geddy lee

i do not considering sean malone a metal bassist in effect....

he is like a fusion bass player playing in metal environments



:lol:

I thought colin kimberley of Diamondhead rocked, wasn't steve harris the singer or am I confused?

I second digiorgio, butler, and lee, and raise you a cliff burton!!!
I'd also like to add that IMHO Burton and DiGiorgio are in a league of their own. IMHO DiGiorgio is probably the most talented bassist I have ever heard...I would kill to be able to jam with the guy
 
terria said:
johan de farfalla on the first two opeth-records. his work on morningrise was so great that mikael threw him out of the band because he got too important

100% agreed! I also think Martin is an incredible bass player! He absolutely shreds live!