Terrance Hobbs vs. Jeff Hanneman – Greatest Metal Guitarist, Round 1

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. ‘Effigy of the Forgotten’ and ‘Pierced From Within’ are classic death metal albums that are home to his spastic riffing and complex song structures. Hobbs’s palm muting abilities are unmatched and help to make Suffocation the heaviest band in existence.

Jeff Hanneman wrote a wealth of Slayer classics like ‘Angel of Death’ and ‘Die By the Sword.’ His riffing in the thrash act has been imitated by countless bands, but never duplicated. Hanneman’s songs inspired people to carve the Slayer logo into their own arms with knives or razors. Sadly, the metal world lost Jeff Hanneman this year, but his music lives on forever.

Terrance Hobbs or Jeff Hanneman? 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!