Top 5 metal guitarists

[Alexander TG]

I'm a little board so I'll think I'll try and piss off those people who say 'this thread has been done a million times' by starting a nice, predictable top 5 metal guitarists.


1) Adrian Smith - Colour,control, complexity, melody - PERFECTION
2) Michael Romeo - no.1 shredder and an awesome composer
3) Alexi 'Wildchild' Laiho - Speed, skill and attitude, awesome
4) Johan Reinholdz - Unknown prodigy with enormous potential
5) Jimmy Pappas - Effortless Skill and cool dude


Oh yeah I almost forgot to mention for the benefit of the Australians on the board the three lions and our victory down under :

Australia 14 - 25 England - not bad for a load of whinging pomes - Ave it!!!

 

[Avathar]

John Petrucci - Dream Theater
Kai Hansen - Gamma Ray
Michael Romeo - SX
Alexi Laiho - COB
Kiko Laureiro - Angra

 

[Alexander TG]

Yeah Petucchi is great but I think he prefers to wank over the fret board as opposed to playing it, he probably is technically the best however.

I can't believe I forgot Kai Hansen the riff master very under-ratted, good call my friend.

 

[Avathar]

Kai Hansen may not be the most technical guitar player....but he's one of the best composers, and he is the father of POWER METAL, so he's a personal god to me...

 

[Polyeidus]

And where do you place Tony McAlpine amongst the guitar greats?

 

[The_Accolade]

Michael Romeo-songwriting, solos, fills, riffs are all top notch...
Alexi Laiho...hey this is quite a trend!
Dimebag Darrel-for making metal heavy
Dave Mustaine-for playing the thrashiest fastest shit and showing people just how far you can take it!
Mikael Akerfeldt/the other guy in opeth

 

[Couzin It]

Here is my list

John Petrucci---DT
Timo Tolkki-----Stratovarius
Michael Romeo--Symphony X
Luca Turilli------Rhapsody
Randy Rhoads---one of the best ever

 

[The_Accolade]

ohhhhhhhh
great shame on me for forgetting randy rhoads!

he is the reason i started playing guitar in the first place!
well one of the reasons...so was kurt kobain actually...

but that intro to "diary of a madman" just made me want to play!

 

[ShredManWalking]

i'd like to recognize jon schaffer as one of the best guitar players. his work with Iced Earth is just incredible; he wrote EVERYTHING and kept the band together, as well as keeping the band metal. Plus, his tone and riffs allow for the most headbanging i believe i have ever done.

 

[Alexander TG]

As good as Timo Tolkki is I always felt he was a poor mans Yngwie Malmsteen unlike Romeo beacuse I think he has his own unqiue style of compsoition.
Still nobody can come close to Adrain Smith in my book (Alexander TG bows down to the master)

 

[The Yngster]

Technique and overall skill-wise Jon isn't the best guitarist out there by far, but as you said he writes some of the most easily headbangable riffs I've heard. Yeah... that made sense.... The main riff to "The Prophecy" just plain rules

 

[Mr. Shred-ididle]

Yeah Petucchi is great but I think he prefers to wank over the fret board as opposed to playing it, he probably is technically the best however.

I can't believe I forgot Kai Hansen the riff master very under-ratted, good call my friend.

JP isn't the best technically. Not compared to Alexi and Romeo. But yes, he is very good and technically fantastic aswell.
My tastes are allways changing so this is it for now.

1. Mike Romeo -riffs are fucking awsomme, solo's are even better.
2. John Petrucci - He has balls when he wanks (when he shreds in songs like Fael Tragedy) and emotion when he "plays" (songs like voices)
3. Alexi Laiho - Total kickass wildchild!!!
4. Johan Reinholdz - Very mature and very balsy. Very proggy.
5. Dimebag Darrel - Heavy fucking METAL!!!!!

@ polydius, I think tony MacAlpine is also an amazing guitarist. For a while he was my number 1. But he is not a metal player. Sure, he does metal, but he doesn't focus on metal. His focus is on shred, which is deffirernt. Same thing Goes for Jason Becker.

 

[Friend of Moloch]

The only guitarists I can think of that others haven't mentioned and I think are worthy are the guitarists of X-Japan. They've played some amazing stuff. But Petrucci and Romeo reign supreme.

 

[Polyeidus]

@ polyeidus, I think tony MacAlpine is also an amazing guitarist. For a while he was my number 1. But he is not a metal player. Sure, he does metal, but he doesn't focus on metal. His focus is on shred, which is deffirernt. Same thing Goes for Jason Becker.

I've always considered shred, metal.

I've considered Tony Mac metal ever since Freedom to fly came out(1992), and I have all his material, solo, and side-projects. I've seen him twice, and you know what? You are the first person I've ever heard say that said he wasn't metal.

 

[Mr. Shred-ididle]

He is matal under the circumstances that shred is metal (most of it) but when you say to someone Tony MacAlpine, they think "Amazing genius shredder dude". Not like Mike R how people think "totally awsomme chubby metalic shredder dude" (no offence to Mike R).C'mon, lets face it, Tony Mac's riffs are not his strong point. and riffery plays a massive part of a metal guitarist. But tony is a genius, yes, but not in the headbanging "\m/" department. He's a shredhead, not a metalhead.

Does that make anymore sence?

 

[Sympozium]

Alexi Laiho - Children of Bodom. This guy made me pick up the guitar!
Michael Romeo - Symphony X. He is the master!
Jesper Stromblad - In Flames. Used to write the best metal riffs and melodies, now In Flames is :S
Jon Shaffer - Iced Earth. Best rhythm guitarist out there.

 

[The_Accolade]

sympozium do you post on Overgrow?

-SWED II

 

[Divine Wings Of Tragedy]

1-Micheal Romeo
2-Kiko Loureiro
3-Paul Gilbert
4-Jason Becker
5-Kirk Hammett???

 

[Grom Hellscream]

Come on, guys! Who are Johan Reinholdz and Adrian Smith?

 

[Zax666]

Zakk Wylde (Ozzy, BLS)
MJR (Symphony X)
Marty Friedman (Ex-Magadeth)
John Petrucci (Dream Theater)
Dimebag Darrel (Pantera)

None of them needs explanation, really!

Edit: Replace JP with Glenn Tipton (Judas Priest). If Glenn and KK didn't exist half the metal scene wouldn't either!