Greatest Metal Guitarist

Tool guitarist Adam Jones has a unique way of playing his six strings in that he doesn’t predominantly use one technique or even just a couple. His playing style is all over the place and is truly a culmination of all of his influences...

Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith is responsible for penning some of the band’s best songs like ‘2 Minutes to Midnight,’ ‘Wasted Years,’ and ‘The Evil That Men Do.’ His absence from Iron Maiden was strongly felt until he rejoined the band in 1999...

Randy Rhoads is known for pioneering and perfecting the traditional '80s metal guitar style. Fast riffs, big hooks and wild solos are all staples of the Rhoads brand of heavy metal. Virtually unknown while playing in Quiet Riot before the band’s breakthrough, he auditioned for Ozzy Osbourne -- and cemented his legendary status...

Terrance Hobbs had a mission statement when forming Suffocation: to be the heaviest band in the world. Anyone who has seen Suffocation live can attest to the success of this mission statement. Hobbs is one of two constant members of the legendary death metal band...

Joe Satriani is one of the most virtuosic guitar players in the world. Satch’s guitar lines take the place of vocals with leads that were played like the guitar itself was singing. The breakthrough album ‘Surfing With the Alien’ features an adventurous title track and ‘Midnight’ which utilizes eight-finger tapping...

Steve Vai has played with a number of bands, but what’s most impressive is that the first major band he was in was with the ultra-talented Frank Zappa, who demanded perfection from his musicians. He was so impressed with Vai that he credited him with “impossible guitar parts” in liner notes...

Riff lord Tony Iommi has been churning out unforgettable music for over four decades now. You can argue that if it weren't for this Black Sabbath legend, heavy metal music as we know it may not have ever existed. More than 40 years after first gracing the music world with his genius, Iommi is still going strong, as evidenced by Black Sabbath's latest album, the stellar '13...