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wimps and posers leave the hall these
are the rift master generals welcome to
watchmojo.com and today we're counting
down our picks for the top 10 heavy
metal guitarists have you guys noticed
that we've been promoting musicians like
ro ransom or austin mahone in some of
our videos well let me introduce you to
sound mojo the WatchMojo music label
that'll help you find your next favorite
artist or are you the next big thing
yourself we'll be recruiting signing and
promoting these talented people so
you've got something to submit be sure
to email us at sound mojo at
watchmojo.com and stay tuned to find
your latest obsession for this list
we're ranking the most talented
influential and important guitar players
from the heavy metal genre
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we'll be excluding guitarists known
primarily for their instrumental shred
abilities such as in game on steam and
trying to keep a focus on a more total
package criteria of riffing arranging
and songwriting 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
[Applause]
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number 10 Scott Ian anthrax /s OD
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 brilli stage presence Mabel I a
friendly and fun-loving personality but
make no mistake
Scott's all business when it comes to
making the metal
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it doesn't matter whether a ins laying
down killer mosh riffs with anthrax
Indians or creating a hardcore crossover
metal classic with s o DS classics speak
English or Die LP if Scott's somehow
involved well you just know it's gonna
be heavy
number nine Kerry King Slayer
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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 Kerry King who
alongside his former partner Jeff
Hanneman wrote some of the genres most
defining and enduring classics
Kings leave sound like dying hellhounds
while his ribs can move from slow
brooding creepiness to DEFCON 1 level
severity in the blink of an eye don't
search for any subtlety here instead
seek out Kari King if you want your hair
blown back and teeth knocked out
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you'll thank him for it leader
number eight John Petrucci Dream Theater
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what can we say about Dream Theater's
resonant guitar god john petrucci he's
quite simply a guitar players guitar
player able to switch between styles
with amazing ease and assuredness but
Russia is also one of progressive metals
elder statesmen 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
[Applause]
wait
number seven Dave Murray's Iron Maiden
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the membership charter of Iron Maiden
breathe as a virtual who's who of heavy
metal guitar gods Adrian Smith Dennis
Stratton and Janick Gers are all gifted
but we're gonna go with the man who's
been with Maiden since the start Dave
Murray
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fans may always expect to see Murray's
smiling visage of the bansho but the
man's musical contributions to their
discography cannot be understated
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there's a smooth sense of melody -
Dave's playing which fits perfectly
alongside the fire of an Adrian or genic
while Maurice symbiotic dual lead
ability has gone on to define the iron
maiden sound
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number six Kirk Hammett Metallica slash
Exodus
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Herick hammock cut his teeth with debate
area fash icons Exodus prior to landing
the lead guitar slot with Metallica
early on in their career since then
however hammocks reputation as one of
heavy metals defining guitar players
continues to grow just as Metallica's
music continues to win over fans young
and old
the kena Kirk's success in the group
perhaps owes itself to bandmate James
Hetfield's decision to primarily focus
on rhythm leaving hammock free to flaunt
his scorpions and UFO influences while
at the same time showcasing his melodic
and dexterous fretboard talents out on
stage every night
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number-5 Dimebag Darrell Pantera
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Darrell Abbott also known as Dimebag
Darrell has been an influence upon
generations of young earth guitarists
since Pantera first rocked the
commercial metal charts Darrell was
chasing the dream early on pounding the
pavement with Pantera in a glam speed
metal style prior to picking up vocalist
Phil abend Selma and venturing towards
heavier pastures
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Darrel's group heavy sonically pushing
style thrilled audiences around the
world with both Pantera and Damageplan
before dime bags life was tragically cut
short when he was shot onstage by a
crazed fan in 2004
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Abbot may be gone but his legacy as one
of metals most influential guitarists
remains forever secure he had taste he
had no heart he had this thing called
number 4 Dave Mustaine Megadeth
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my scene was an important part of
Metallica's early years but after his
dismissal which opened the door for kirk
hammett he formed Megadeath as a sort of
technical speed metal alternative to
Metallica's evolving compositionally
minded songwriting eventually must Ian
hooked up with shredder Marty Friedman
to create what many fans feel was the
definitive Megadeth lineup alongside
bassist Dave Ellison and drummer Nick
Menza
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Dave Mustaine was the backbone of
Megadeth's dizzying mathematical style
of speed metal composing songs which
even today stand as blueprints for
precise pounding thrash
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number three Eddie Van Halen Van Halen
[Applause]
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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 runnin with the devil and
eruption a track that essentially
pioneered the two-handed tapping
technique
any wouldn't stop there either
challenging legions of bedroom
guitarists to up their ante to just try
and compete with what Van Halen was
laying down in the studio and on stage
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number two Randy Rhoads Ozzy Osbourne /
Quiet Riot
[Applause]
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Ozzy Osbourne employed many inspiring
and insanely talented guitarist over the
years including Badlands bluesman Jake
Ely Wildman Zakk Wylde and even Knight
Rangers Brad Gillis
none of them however our linked quite as
closely as the immortal Randy Rhoads who
played on Ozzy's first two solo albums
Rhoads was plucked from the early lineup
of future hair metal stars Quiet Riot
and blew the minds of everyone lucky
enough to catch the man alive
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classically trained and naturally gifted
Rhodes was one of a kind
a unique guitar playing talent who
burned bright as the Sun and hot as hell
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before we get to our top pick here are
some honorable mentions
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number one Tony Iommi Black Sabbath
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sure proto heavy-metal sounds were
around before Tony Iommi but not even
bands like Led Zeppelin and Iron
Butterfly could approach Iommi and
company's gothic grandiose heaviness an
accident at work left young Iommi
without the fingertips on two of his
fingers but homemade prosthetics and a
will to persevere led to Tony hammering
down on those frets while in the process
creating that do me gloomy heavy metal
sound we know and love today
beyond Iommi's heaviness however lies an
underrated lead player and a songwriter
whose melodies and style have defined
the genre for just about every bed in
his week
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