Most Underrated Metal Guitarists

The Top Ten
1 Alexi Laiho - Children of Bodom Alexi "Wildchild" Laiho (April 8th 1979 - December 29th 2020) was a Finnish guitarist, composer, and vocalist. He is best known as the lead guitarist, lead vocalist, and founding member of the melodic death metal band Children of Bodom. He was also the guitarist for Sinergy, The Local Band, and Kylähullut. ...read more.

In my opinion his play style is one for the ages. Honestly a true guitar god!

2 Chuck Schuldiner - Death Charles Michael "Chuck" Schuldiner (1967-2001) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist, best known as the founder and vocalist, guitarist and bassist of the American heavy metal band Death. He is considered the most influential figure in Death Metal, with some publications referring to Chuck as the "Godfather of Death Metal". Schuldiner died in December 13, 2001 of brain cancer, his death subsequently leading to the disbandment of Death, but has remained influential among many aspiring metal artists. He was also known for his polite and life loving attitude and openly condemned stereotypes of metal musicians being harmful and evil.

Chuck was the "genius of metal" and his guitar work with everything was perfect!

Not extremely underrated but I want Alexi at 1 and Schuldiner at 2
schuldiner is my favorite guitarist of all time, beside Richie Blackmore but Schuldiner isn’t as underrated as Alexi

He isn't underrated as a metal guitarist.

3 Criss Oliva - Savatage Christopher "Criss" Michael Oliva was an American musician who was the lead guitarist and co-founder of the band Savatage.
4 Michael Paget - Bullet for My Valentine Michael "Padge" Paget (Born September 12th 1978) is a Welsh musician, known for being the lead guitarist and a backing vocalist for the Heavy Metal/Metalcore band Bullet for My Valentine.

What? He is overrated and not underrated. He is overrated even on this list.

I love all his riffs

5 Dan Donegan - Disturbed Dan Donegan is an American musician and guitarist for heavy metal band Disturbed. Donegan began playing guitar as a teenager and eventually formed a band called Vandal, which was an 1980s-style hair band.

Dan Donegan isn't overrated. Disturbed is, but he isn't.
Listen to the solo from Stricken.

Overrated non-metal musician in the top 5 of a metal list. This sucks.

6 John Petrucci - Dream Theater John Peter Petrucci is an American guitarist, composer and producer. He is best known as a founding member of the progressive metal band Dream Theater. Compared to his level of skill, John Petrucci is relatively unknown in the modern music industry.

He isn't underrated, come on. I mean, look at the other names on this list - great guitarists most people never heard of: Ron Jarzombek, Tommy Baron, Criss Oliva, Jeff Waters, Jeff Loomis, Fredrik Thordendal,...

Not underrated.

7 Mark Morton - Lamb of God

Most people forget how good of a guitarist he is, how can you be in one of the most popular bands today (one that people constantly say is overrated, yes the band is kinda overrated but in the way that slayer is overrated) and still not have too much name recognition

The most underrated he got kicka** riffs and solos he is very good as lead guitarist

8 Andy LaRocque - King Diamond
9 Dave Murray - Iron Maiden David Michael Murray is an English guitarist and songwriter best known as one of the earliest members of the British heavy metal band Iron Maiden.

Dave Murray is better than any guitarist above him, with John Petrucci being the exception. By the way, Dan Donegan is severely overrated. Anyone who thinks that his tired and overused riffs are worth listening to should have their head checked.

Everyone knows Iron Maiden.Most of them know about bruce dickinson and steve harris but only few know how great is this man. What he has done for the band.He's the reason for creating metal riffs and solos.

He ain't no mud

10 Jeff Waters - Annihilator Jeff Waters (born February 13, 1966) is a Canadian metal musician and founder of the metal band Annihilator. He's best known as the guitarist for Annihilator, appreciated for his fast riffs and solos. Waters is also the primary songwriter in the band. Very often he has taken on the role of lead singer, bass player, engineer and producer. He has owned Watersound Studios Inc. since 1994. At a young age he took some classical and jazz guitar lessons. Notable songs include Alison Hell, Human Insecticide, The Trend, Ultra-Motion, Detonation.

Even though many thrash metal lovers listen to or have ever heard about Annihilator. He never really gets mentioned when people start to discuss the best metal guitarists, while he is pretty talented, can sing, play bass and electric guitar, mix both electric and acoustic parts and create amazing compositions. His rhythm playing is solid,
However lead playing can be twisted sometimes, but his technic is interesting and creates really unique, beautiful sound.

The Contenders
11 Luc Lemay - Gorguts
12 Tommy Baron

Coroner guitarist is awesome at both riffs and solos.

13 Ron Jarzombek Ron Jarzombek is an American metal guitarist hailed as one of the most influential progressive metal guitarists and has been called "the Godfather of Technical Metal". He's best known for his work with WatchTower, Spastic Ink, and Blotted Science, featuring Alex Webster of Cannibal Corpse. His older ...read more.
14 Sammy Duet - Goatwhore, Acid Bath
15 Phil Demmel - Machine Head
16 Muhammed Suiçmez - Necrophagist Muhammed Suiçmez was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, to Turkish immigrants. He is the frontman and guitarist of the German technical death metal band Necrophagist.
17 Matt Harvey - Exhumed
18 Bob Vigna - Immolation
19 Dino Cazares - Fear Factory, Divine Heresy, Asesino
20 Scott Hull - Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed
21 Justin Broadrick - Godflesh, Jesu
22 Christian Muenzner - Obscura
23 Jeff Loomis Jeff Loomis is an American musician, best known for his role as lead guitarist in the progressive metal band Nevermore and death metal band Arch Enemy.

Criminally underrated

Very underrated

He's one of my favourite guitarists, since he's also in one of my favourite bands (Arch Enemy)

24 Dimebag Darrell - Pantera Darrell Lance Abbott, also known as Diamond Darrell and Dimebag Darrell, was an American guitarist and songwriter best known as a founding member of two bands, Pantera and Damageplan, alongside his brother, Vinnie Paul. Abbott died in 2004 after he was shot by a mentally unstable fan.

He's considered one of the greatest metal guitarists. How come he is underrated?

25 Mick Thomson - Slipknot Mickael Gordon "Mick" Thomson is an American heavy metal musician. Born in Des Moines, Iowa, he is best known as one of two guitarists in Slipknot, in which he is designated #7.
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