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Welcome to watch motor dot com, and today we're counting down our picks for the top 10 heavy metal guitarists.

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Mhm for this list ranking.

The most talented, influential and important guitar players from the heavy metal genre will be excluding guitarists, known primarily for their instrumental shred abilities such as mom scheme and trying to keep a focus on um or Total package criteria of riffing, arranging and song writing.

Lead and rhythm players from all metal genres will be considered for this list, but guitar teams will have to be examined at another time.

I was thinking about everything is number 10.

Scott Ian anthrax slash s.

O.

D.

There are few rhythm players out there tighter than Scott Ian, who's been laying down the riffs with anthrax since they first formed back in 1981.

Ian's burly stage presence may belie a friendly and fun loving personality, but make no mistake, Scots all business when it comes to making the metal.

It doesn't matter whether Ian's laying down killer mosh rifts with anthrax Indians or creating a hardcore crossover metal classic with S.

O.

D's classic Speak English or Die LP.

If Scott somehow involved well, you just know it's gonna be heavy way Get in my head.

Mhm Number nine Carry King Slayer Slayers Second album Hell Awaits was aptly titled because that's exactly what the band sound evokes pure, unfettered hell on earth.

Much of this thrash metal intensity is thanks to guitarist Carrie King, who alongside his former partner, Jeff Hanneman, wrote some of the genre's most defining and enduring classics.

Kings lead sound like dying hellhounds, while his riffs can move from slow, brooding creepiness to Def con one level severity in the blink of an eye.

Don't search for any subtlety here instead, seek out Carry King.

If you want your hair blown back and teeth knocked out, you will thank him for it later.

Number eight John Petrucci Dream Theater What can we say about Dream Theatre's resident guitar, God, John Petrucci?

He's quite simply a guitar player's guitar player, able to switch between styles with amazing ease and assuredness.

But true, she is also one of progressive metals elder statesman and, as such is quite comfortable, jamming out heavy riffs one minute and fragile melodies the next.

There's a virtuosic texture and complexity to his playing.

Yet Petrucci and his bandmates have also proven themselves to be strong songwriters who allow their music to breathe while still showing off their musical chops.

Number seven Dave Murray Iron Maiden.

The membership charter of Iron Maiden reads as a virtual who's who of heavy metal guitar gods.

Adrian Smith, Denis Stratton and Janick Gers are all gifted, but we're going to go with the man who's been with Maiden since the start.

Dave Murray fans may always expect to see Marie smiling visage the band show, but the man's musical contributions to their discography cannot be understated.

There's a smooth sense of melody to Dave's playing, which fits perfectly alongside the fire oven, Adrian or genic, while Murray Symbiotic do elite ability has gone on to define the Iron Maiden sound?

Yeah, Number six.

Kirk Hammett, Metallica slash Exodus Her Kamut cut his teeth with the Bay Area thrash icons Exodus prior to landing the lead guitar slot with Metallica early on in their career.

Since then, however, Ham, its reputation as one of heavy metal's defining guitar players continues to grow just as Metallica's music continues to win over fans young and old.

Okay, Theo Key to cook success in the group perhaps owes itself to band mate James Hetfield decision to primarily focus on rhythm, leaving Hammett free to flaunt his scorpions and UFO influences while at the same time showcasing his melodic and dextrous fretboard talents out on stage every night.

Number five Dimebag Darrell Pantera.

Darrell Abbott, also known as Dimebag Darrell, has been an influence upon generations of younger guitarists since Pantera first crack to the commercial metal charts.

Darryl was chasing the dream early on, pounding the pavement with Pantera in a glam speed metal style prior to picking up vocalist Philip Anselmo and venturing towards heavier pastures.

Your bra burn.

Daryl's grew heavy, sonically pushing style thrilled audiences around the world with both Pantera and damage plan before dime bags.

Life was tragically cut short when he was shot on stage by a crazed fan in 2000 and four.

Abbott may be gone, but his legacy is one of Metal's most influential guitarists.

Remains forever secure.

He had taste, He had a heart.

He had this thing called.

So Number four.

Dave Mustaine, Megadeth Muhsin was an important part of Metallica's early years.

But after his dismissal, which opened the door for Kirk Hammett, he formed Megadeth as a sort of technical speed metal alternative to Metallica's evolving, compositionally minded song.

Writing eventually must in Hooked Up with shredder Marty Friedman to create what many fans feel was the definitive Megadeth lineup, alongside bassist Dave Elofsson and drummer Nick Menzah.

Yeah, Dave Mustang was the backbone of mega deaths, dizzying mathematical style of speed metal composing songs which even today stand as blueprints for precise pounding thrash.

Number three Eddie Van Halen, Van Halen.

It would be easy to argue that without the first Van Halen album, the landscape of hard rock and heavy metal would look very different today.

This isn't hyperbole, either.

As Eddie Van Halen literally changed the landscape of rock and metal guitar from the very first notes of running with the Devil and eruption attract that essentially pioneered the two handed tapping technique, E O wouldn't stop there either, challenging legions of bedroom guitarist up their ante to just try and compete with what Van Halen was laying down in the studio and on stage.

Mhm e on a low number two.

Randy Rhoads, Ozzie Osborne slash Quiet Riot Ozzy Osborne employed many inspiring and insanely talented guitarist over the years, including Badlands bluesman J.

L.

E.

Wild Man, Zach Wild and even Night Rangers Brad Gillis.

None of them, however, are linked quite as closely as the immortal Randi Rhodes, who played on Audi's first two solo albums.

Rhodes was plucked from the early lineup of future hair metal stars, quiet riot and blew the minds of everyone lucky enough to catch them In live, classically trained and naturally gifted Roads was one of a kind, a unique guitar playing talent who burned brightest sun and hot as health.

Yeah, before we get to our topic, here are some honorable mentions.

Dio What?

Yeah, but I was on my line.

Wait Time?

Yeah, number one, Tony.

I owe me Black Sabbath.

Sure.

Proto heavy metal sounds were around before, Tony.

I owe me.

But not even bands like Led Zeppelin and Iron Butterfly could approach.

I owe me.

And companies Gothic, grandiose heaviness.

An accident at work left young.

I owe me without the fingertips on two of his fingers.

But homemade prosthetics and a will to persevere led to Tony hammering down on those threats while in the process, creating that doomy, gloomy heavy metal sound we know and love today.

Beyond I Omi's heaviness, however, lies an underrated lead player and a songwriter whose melodies and style have defined the genre for just about every band in his week.

Do you agree with our picks?

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