# Best "Heavy Metal/Hard Rock" Guitarist! **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 24, 2010, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251 "2010-04-24T23:08:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251/21 "2010-04-25T17:28:58Z")
> [@MTCicero](#): > > Again: agreed. Though I did forget about the existence of [his solo on this song](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NUmKitBtqgk), which is, to my ears, the best solo he’s ever done. But then again, what do I know? I’m not a guitar player, only a guitar fan. MT I meant to specifically address this solo: I think a big reason why it sounds so “good” is how heavily affected it is. After the intro portion of the solo, Kirk’s using an octaver or similar effect which produces a neat sounding tone. For the conclusion portion, he switches into using a wah pedal and his tremolo arm, so that’s producing some nice sounds. Its just his note selection that really bugs me. Its almost like the solos just don’t quite fit with the rest of the song. He’s not melodic, at all. ---
**Author:** ![HongKongFooey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c4cdca/32.png) [@HongKongFooey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HongKongFooey)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251/22 "2010-04-25T17:39:41Z")
Yes, Helmet did “Unsung”. Their new stuff isn’t as strong. Actually, I think the best part of the original lineup was the drummer but he’s moved on to other bands like Tomahawk and Battles. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251/23 "2010-04-25T17:54:24Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Broadly speaking in terms of all “hard rock,” I think I’d have to put EVH at the top. His solo virtosity, and pioneering techique goes without saying, but he was also a great riffmeister (and one of those guitarists who can lick around a riff seamlessly without losing the groove) and tremendously influential. > > Others I would put high up (in no particular order): > **Jimmy Page** : do I really need to say anything about Zep? > **Tony Iommi** : established the vocabulary for heavy metal riffing > **Angus Young** : talk about perfect for his band > **Randy Roads** : a personal favorite of mine who died way too young and might have ended up being the greatest ever if he’d had the chance. Extraordinarily sophisticated compositional sensibilities > **James Hetfield** : Not so much a soloist (though he’s actually pretty good at it when he wants to), but compares only to Iommi in terms of heavy metal riffsmanship. > **Yngwie** : I know the OP said he didn’t want shredders, but I still think he deserves a mention just for his sheer virtuosity at it. I think guitarists may appreciate him more than non-muscians just to marvel at his ridiculous technical proficiency. Too bad he can’t write a song to save his life, but he can shred harmonic minor scales and sweep arpeggios like a sonabitch. I agree with most of your choices and I like all these guitarists. I don’t think Zep is a metal band (and I know I opened up the can of worms for hard rock to be included) but they are one of the best hard rock bands ever. Page’s skill and compositional abilities are unchallengable. He’s just not a metal guitarist by and large, although I suppose you could easily classify riffs like “Communication Breakdown” and “Whole Lotta Love” as metal riffs, but the majority of their stuff wasn’t quite like that. Iommi was a metal God and the fountain from which all power chord metal riffs sprang as you say, but he couldn’t really solo with any complexity,and wasn’t all that melodic either. Angus is another monster who also doesn’t solo well. But boy can he still bring it, even at his age! Hetfield is a great metal guitarist, but as you allude to, he isn’t much in the solo department. If he was they could probably kick Hammet out of the band and be 1/4th richer! I think Rhoads is your best candidate because Ozzy certainly had himself a metal band there, Rhoads played tasty riffs, had a readily identifiable sound, and due to his classical training, a great ear for melody. He’s one of my favorites too. I really liked his solos, they still don’t sound dated to me and they aren’t senseless thrashing up and down scales for speed’s sake, they fit the songs they are in. Which obviously leads me into Mr Malmsteen. The reason I attempted to disqualify guys like him is because to a man, all these guitarists songs are vehicles for constant soloing if they are instrumental songs, and if they have lyrics, the songs, um…suck. I love Yngwie’s instrumental stuff…but he can’t hold a riff down long enough to qualify. Its like he just has no patience to really set up a rhythm and allow a tune to build to a blistering crescendo (solo), because pretty much the entire song _is_ a solo. He does have ridiculous speed flailing his strat up and down those harmonic minor scales, though. I spent my entire teenaged years attempting to emulate raking (sweep picking) and I never was very good at it. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251/24 "2010-04-25T18:20:26Z")
What are your thoughts on Nuno Bettencourt? Yes, he’s a shredder, but, like EVH, he authored some pretty danged tuneful tunes. Also: Leslie West? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2010, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251/25 "2010-04-25T19:13:31Z")
I am kind of surprised to be the first to mention John Petrucci\* from Dream Theater. Though I guess he could be considered Prog Rock. But the man is insanely good. Another stellar player, who didn’t get enough notice when he was a live was, Jon Olivia from Savatage. That guy had great tone and style. I still absolutely love his stuff. Another monster player is Alex Skolnick from Testament. My favorite is Rhoads, listening to him is the reason I started playing guitar. So he is at the top of my list. Hmmm, gotta do some more thinking. Be back later… Slee \*Though he plays a wide range of stuff. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/best-heavy-metal-hard-rock-guitarist/537251.md?page=1)