If it sounds loud, angry, and the least bit "bad," it's probably metal. Aside from the overarching themes and sonic walls it amasses, heavy metal is celebrated for its high level of musicianship on every instrument, but most importantly on the guitar. This is a list of the most influential guitarists in a genre of music that has never been given credit.
10. Kurt Ballou of Converge
You may be asking yourself, "Who is this person?" Listen to any song by Converge and you'll be treated to a raucous blend of punk aesthetics, but with the swagger and dread of metal. Think of the last modern metal band you listened to - did they have a bunch of jagged, dissonant riffs and weird solos that were still melodic and powerful? Yes, Kurt has been destroying these kinds of riffs on his Fender Jazzmaster since 1993.
9. Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page
Plain and simple, Jimmy Page's riffs were dark and terrifying and stuck in your head for days. Jimmy influenced millions of kids to pick up a guitar in the 70s.
8. Dimebag Darrell of Panther
Many metalheads these days (especially those my age, early to mid 20's) only know Dimebag as the guy who got brutally murdered on stage by a pissed off ex-marine, and that's a shame. Dimebag wrote riffs that were both elegant and heavy at the same time. When grunge was all the rage, Pantera flew the flag of American metal high and proud. Pantera invented the "chugga chugga" breakdowns and high-pitched harmonic screeches that now dominate the metal landscape. Also, on a stage full of scowling people, Dimebag knew how to smile like an idiot and have as much fun as possible - nothing scary in modern metal.
7. Slash of Guns N' Roses
Slash could have smashed most of his Sunset Strip contemporaries, but he knew he never had to. His big, emotional blues-style solos could say everything with just 10 notes instead of the 10,000 notes used by most guitarists at the time. There were many other glam metal guitarists before him, but few as cool?
6. Helmeted Page Hamilton
Page was a seasoned jazz guitarist, but wielded his guitar with the ferocity of a jock, like swinging a hockey stick. He took the ideals of minimal jazz and applied it to heavy metal. His strong, staccato riffing and dramatic vocal transitions from soft and clean to full-on bulldog bark influenced many bands such as Korn, Deftones and countless others.
5. Dave Murray and Adrian Smith from Iron Maiden
Their influence can be heard throughout metal - double lead riffs, harmonic solos, fast-paced rhythms, the first signs of a split, and more. They are hugely influential for anyone who considers themselves a metalhead.
4. Robert Fripp of King Crimson
Robert Fripp's dark, jazzy riffs, combined with his band's willingness to create ridiculously complex song structures, opened doors previously unavailable in heavy metal or any other musical field at the time. Bands like Dream Theater, Opeth or Between The Buried And Me owe their existence to Robert Fripp.
3. Eddie Van Halen
If Eddie had written "Eruption" and then stopped playing guitar, his legacy would still be cemented. He invented the shredder.
2. Metallica's James Hetfield and Kirk Hammett
James and Kirk are the successors to Dave Murray and Adrian Smith's title of Deadliest Guitar Duo. James' crazy dumb picks created beats so fast they were almost saw-like, and Kirk's wild shredding wasn't "sloppy" — it was in character. Nowadays, they're all old and bitter, but kids still connect with them - and that's what really matters.
1. Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath
In the documentary Heavy: A Headbanger's Journey, Rob Zombie says, “Every great riff was written by Black Sabbath. formed the basis of his sound and the creation of heavy metal.
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