Kirk Hammett vs. Gary Holt – Greatest Metal Guitarist, Round 1

Thrash of the titans! Kirk Hammett needs no introduction, but he obviously deserves one. After Dave Mustaine was kicked out of Metallica, Kirk Hammett, who was trained by legendary guitarist Joe Satriani, was recruited by the thrashers in 1983. The axe-slinger has appeared on every Metallica album, helping make them the biggest metal band on the planet. In this first round, Hammett goes up against a former Exodus bandmate.

Although Hammett is celebrated more for his soloing, Exodus / Slayer guitarist Gary Holt is widely regarded for his skull-crushing approach. While his history with Exodus has been on-and-off, Holt possesses the true spirit of the thrash legends. Holt has also been performing with Slayer since the iconic Jeff Hanneman came down with necrotising fasciitis, and Holt has maintained his position with the legendary thrash act since Hanneman's sudden passing earlier this year.

Kirk Hammett or Gary Holt? Cast your vote for the Greatest Metal Guitarist in the poll below! Voting for this round closes on Sunday, July 21 at 11:59PM ET. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure that your favorite metal musician wins!