List of heavy metal guitarists

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Tony Iommi onstage with Heaven & Hell in 2009. Iommi is considered one of the most influential heavy metal guitarists.

This is a list of heavy metal guitarists from the 1960s to the 2010s. Heavy metal guitar players use highly-amplified electric guitar playing[1] that is rooted in the guitar playing styles developed in 1960s-era blues rock and psychedelic rock.[2] Metal guitar playing uses a massive sound, characterized by highly amplified distortion, extended guitar solos and overall loudness. The electric guitar and the sonic power that it projects through amplification has historically been the key element in heavy metal.[3]

Heavy metal bands often have two electric guitarists, with one guitarist playing rhythm guitar and one guitarist playing lead guitar. The rhythm guitar player is part of the rhythm section of the band, along with the bass guitarist and the drummer. The lead guitarist plays guitar solos, instrumental melody lines and melodic fill passages. In power trios, which consist of a guitarist, bassist and drummer, with one or more members singing lead vocals, the single guitarist will switch between rhythm guitar and lead guitar roles as needed.

This is a dynamic list and may never be able to satisfy particular standards for completeness. You can help by with reliable sources.

Only add names here if the person has their own article - anything else will be removed.

A[]

Dimebag Darrell (1966-2004) was killed by a gunman during a concert.
  • Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders)
  • Dimebag Darrell Abbott (Pantera, Damageplan, Rebel Meets Rebel)
  • Willie Adler (Lamb of God)
  • Lord Ahriman (Dark Funeral)
  • Mikael Åkerfeldt (Opeth)
  • Mike Albert (Megadeth)
  • Jimmy Allen (Against All Will)
  • Paul Allender (Cradle of Filth)
  • Lee Altus (Exodus)
  • Christopher Amott (Arch Enemy)
  • Michael Amott (Arch Enemy, Carcass, Spiritual Beggars)
  • Nicke Andersson (The Hellacopters)
  • Ole Petter Andreassen (Thulsa Doom, The Cumshots)
  • Christian Andreu (Gojira)
  • Phil Anselmo (Arson Anthem)
  • Salman Ahmad (Junoon)
  • Faraz Anwar (Dusk)
  • Rob Arnold (Chimaira)
  • Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)

B[]

Ritchie Blackmore in Norway, 1977

C[]

Phil Campbell of Motörhead playing at Wacken Open Air 2013 with a Framus guitar
  • Eric Carlson (The Mentors)
  • Ernie C (Body Count)
  • Phil Campbell (Motörhead)
  • Vivian Campbell (Dio, Def Leppard, Thin Lizzy)
  • Jerry Cantrell (Alice in Chains)
  • Stephen Carpenter (Deftones)
  • Nick Catanese (Black Label Society)
  • Max Cavalera (Sepultura, Soulfly, Cavalera Conspiracy)
  • Carlos Cavazo (Quiet Riot, Ratt)
  • Dino Cazares (Fear Factory, Divine Heresy, Asesino, Brujeria)
  • Manny Charlton (Nazareth)
  • David T. Chastain (Chastain)
  • "Metal" Mike Chlasciak (Halford, , Testament, Sebastian Bach, Jim Breuer)
  • Zal Cleminson (Nazareth)
  • Janne JB Christoffersson (Grand Magus)
  • Mike Church (Still Remains)
  • Mike Clark (No Mercy, Suicidal Tendencies)
  • Steve Clark (Def Leppard)
  • Eddie Clarke (Motörhead)
  • Gilby Clarke (Guns N' Roses, Supernova)
  • Andy Classen (Holy Moses)
  • Phil Collen (Def Leppard)
  • Rusty Cooley
  • Korey Cooper (Skillet)
  • Randy Cooper (Texas Hippie Coalition)
  • Nicole Couch (Phantom Blue)
  • Robbin Crosby (Ratt)
  • Doc Coyle (God Forbid)
  • Andrew Craighan (My Dying Bride)
  • John Christ (Danzig)

D[]

K.K. Downing, a former member of Judas Priest, shown here in 1980

E[]

F[]

While the majority of metal guitarists are men, there are notable women metal guitarists, such as Lita Ford, who played in The Runaways and as a solo act under her own name.

G[]

H[]

Jimi Hendrix performing on the Dutch television show Hoepla in 1967
Kirk Hammett of Metallica playing in Mexico in 2010

I[]

  • Scott Ian (Anthrax, Damnocracy)
  • Chris Impellitteri (Impellitteri)
  • Infernus (Gorgoroth, Borknagar)
  • Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath)
  • Anders Iwers (Ceremonial Oath)

J[]

K[]

Kerry King playing with Slayer

L[]

Alex Lifeson in concert with Rush

M[]

Dave Murray, the guitarist for Iron Maiden playing in San José in February 2008

N[]

O[]

P[]

R[]

  • Billy Rankin (Nazareth)
  • Vernon Reid (Living Colour)
  • Randy Rhoads (Quiet Riot, Ozzy Osbourne)
  • Mike Riggs (Rob Zombie)
  • Marc Rizzo (Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulfly)
  • Kane Roberts (Alice Cooper)
  • Brian Robertson (Thin Lizzy, Motörhead)
  • Omar Rodríguez-López (At the Drive-In, De Facto, Sparta, The Mars Volta)
  • Antonio Romano (Hermética)
  • Michael Romeo (Symphony X)
  • James Root (Slipknot)
  • Ulrich Roth (Scorpions)

S[]

Michael Schenker in 1983

T[]

Glenn Tipton is the guitarist for Judas Priest. This photo is from 1984.

V[]

Eddie Van Halen was a shred guitar innovator whose virtuostic guitar solo on the song "Eruption" had a major impact on metal guitar. This picture is from 1977.
  • Steve Vai (Devin Townsend, Whitesnake, Alcatrazz, David Lee Roth, Frank Zappa)
  • Adrian Vandenberg (Vandenberg, Whitesnake, Manic Eden)
  • Eddie Van Halen (Van Halen)
  • Zacky Vengeance (Avenged Sevenfold)
  • Morten Veland (Sirenia)
  • Tommy Victor (Prong, Danzig, Ministry)
  • Varg Vikernes (Burzum)
  • Vinnie Vincent (KISS, Vinnie Vincent Invasion)
  • Fernando von Arb (Krokus)
  • Emppu Vuorinen (Nightwish, Altaria)

W[]

Y[]

Angus Young from the Australian band AC/DC

Z[]

  • Hans Ziller (Bonfire)

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Weinstein (2000), pp. 14, 118.
  2. ^ Fast (2005), pp. 89–91; Weinstein (2000), pp. 7, 8, 23, 36, 103, 104.
  3. ^ Weinstein (2000), p. 23
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