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. Just to show how influential Satriani is on metal his students include Metallica's Kirk Hammett and the man he's facing in Round 1 of this very tournament.

Alex Skolnick is an incredibly diverse guitarist. Though he’s most known for his guitar licks and solos with Testament, he has played with the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and even has his own jazz trio called the Alex Skolnick Trio. Skolnick lists Eddie Van Halen, the Scorpions, and Yngwie Malmsteen among his influences. And as stated, he was a guitar student of his current opponent, Joe Satriani.

Joe Satriani or Alex Skolnick? 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!

Greatest Metal Guitarist Shredder Region
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Greatest Metal Guitarist Axe-Slinger Region
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