Greatest Thrash Metal Lead-Guitarists
David Scott "Dave" Mustaine (born September 13, 1961) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, actor and author. Mustaine is best known as a pioneer in Thrash Metal, being the former lead guitarist of Metallica before his dismissal in 1983, leading to finding and becoming the front man of his own ...read more. Dangerous Dave is tops on my list for many reasons but the number one reason is because of his perfect mix of speed, precision, substance and soul. I have friends that claim thrash players lack the soul of guys like SRV and Clapton and that's just ignorant babble. There may be guys a tad faster or maybe slightly more technical at times but if you take the complete package Mustaine edges out the others. I play guitar and his rhythms are amazing and he plays most of them while growling out his equally as aggressive lyrics. He paints a picture with his playing like no other. I'm not trying to put down other guys on the list because they are all truly great but Mustaine is the ONE Corvette on the floor in a showroom full of SUV's and modest sedans!
While Dave may not have as complex or clean leads, it's the fire and aggressive power that his solo's carry that make him the best. Listen to any of his solos, wake up dead, my last words, holy wars, fatal illusion, millennium of the blind, peace sells, burnt ice, 1000 times goodbye, looking down the cross, good mourning, black friday, ETC. and youll find some of the greatest combinations of speed and soul. His solos stand out because they paint a picture, and help tell the story of the song rather than just be filler.
Definitely number one and for those questioning his role in the band; Megadeth has no official rhythm guitarist. Dave does both riffs and solos. So anyone who says Dave ain't a lead guitarist is just trying to pull your leg. There is such a thing as dual-lead style of playing just like Slayer and Dragonforce.
Mustaine is a genius and for sure the most influential guitarist of them all. Yes Friedman has great solos but solos are not what makes a great guitarist, phrasing and quality makes a great guitarist and Mustaine has mastered those beyond belief, sometimes I question if he's even human, haha.
Martin Adam "Marty" Friedman is an American guitarist, known for his tenure as the lead guitarist for heavy metal band Megadeth which spanned nearly the full decade of the 1990s, as well as Cacophony alongside Jason Becker until 1989. Friedman has resided in Tokyo, Japan since 2003, where he has hosted ...read more. OK Mustaine is the brain of music, his riffs and so are far the best. But look for Megadeth after Marty left. What is that? Suddenly the music is empty. There is no one who can compete with Dave than Marty. And Marty can even play better than Dave. And talking about best LEAD guitarist, the vote should go to Marty.
Marty Friedman needs to be number one. He is hands down the most talented virtuoso in this group. Skolnick maybe comes close, maybe. Hammett is a very distant second. Just listen to Marty's solo work and you'll know why.
Marty, after Mustaine should be among the top 3. He has got skills which are played with melody. And his leads are nevr off-scale. I consider Marty and Syn to be the best metal guitarists of all time. Of course, syn is no thrash metal guitarist!
Friedman plays most exotic scale by a lead player from any genre of Metal music. Offcourse Mustaine has better Riffing Skill but his solos limited to fast minor pentatonic scale.
Alexander Nathan Skolnick is an American metal and jazz guitarist who is the lead guitarist of the Bay Area thrash metal band Testament, and heads the jazz band Alex Skolnick Trio. Come on people Dave is great, but not #1. Kirk might be top ten if he could still play like he did in the 80s. I would honestly rather listen to Marty, but Alex deserves far more respect than he receives.
I'm glad to see he is at least 4th in this list. I think common sense is not dead! And for those of you that don't know his work, check out the solos of Apocalyptic City and Practice What You Preach. They're a perfect combo of technique and emotion.
You simply cannot beat him. He plays and composes genius music backed by musical theory and yet is behind mustaine and the EXTREMELY overrated Kirk Hammett. :/
Over the Wall is one of the best guitar solos ever. Skolnick shredded on that solo at only age 18! IS HE AMAZING!
Kirk Lee Hammett is the lead guitarist and songwriter for the heavy metal band Metallica and has been a member of the band since 1983. Before joining Metallica he formed and named the band Exodus. Kirk Hammett is the best thrash metal lead guitarist. Why is Dave even on this list, he's a rhythm guitarist. Yes he does play the occasional solo but that doesn't make him a lead guitarist. I think people don't like Kirk and Metallica a a whole because they went soft but if you listen to solos off death magnetic such as the end of the line you will be amazed that Kirk has still got it even though he is almost 50.
Sure he plays with Wah now, so what? Kirk's greatest heroes (jimi hendrix, Stevie RV) used Wah so of course he wants to follow in their footsteps. As for kirk's guitar skills on albums 1-4, his leads are godly and perfect and are Thrash at its finest moments
Kirk Hammett is the best thrash lead guitarist because listen to solos such as One,Fade to black, the four horsemen, battery, ride the lightning, creeping death, jump in the fire, whiplash and a whole bunch of other songs.
Kirk Hammett is no doubt the best lead metal guitarist the world ever has, his amazing solo timing and cry baby paddles are worth to listen for, Metallica rules and so does Mr. Hammett...
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, ...read more. Can you Megadeth fan boys stop putting Dave Mustaine number one for everything? He's not even a lead guitarist. And stop talking trash on Metallica. Listen to real thrash like Slayer. Megadeth is more like quick rock and roll
The guy is a guitar virtuoso. Very talented songwriter and riff master, too. Go see him live - he still plays as good as 25 years ago on studio versions although the stuff is very fast and technically demanding. After their debut album (1989, Alice in Hell), Dave Mustaine wanted Jeff Waters in Megadeth. Jeff Waters declined and Megadeth hired Marty Friedman (an excellent choice, too).
Jeff deserves way more attention, he should be in the top 3. Why do you think Mustaine asked him to join Megadeth? He is way better than Friedman. His name is never even mentioned.
I can only compare him with marty and jason becker...He has the best right (picking hand) and one of the fastest left hands ever exist!
Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman was an American musician, best known as a founding member of the American thrash metal band Slayer. Hanneman's style of soloing was chaotic, evil, and aggressive and for a band like Slayer that fits perfectly. Nobody can solo like Hanneman can and a lot of the time nobody can make a solo fit a song like Hanneman can.
The deranged soloing of Hanneman was about the most insidious, nightmarish, and horrifying thing to happen to Lead Metal guitar. Needless to say, he was a thrash genius, and deserves to be above MegaDave. Have some respect for the dead, people!
Why is Dave Mustaine (a rhythm player) in 1st?
And why is Jeff Hanneman (a lead player) on 7th?
Jeff composed one of the most insane riffs and solos. Mustaine's playing is EXTREMELY GENERIC.
Jeff Hanneman all the way!
Hanneman composes most of the musics of Slayer. Remember the coposition of World Painted Blood, Angel of Death or Disciple? The craziest guitarist ever.
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. Dimebag was undoubtedly the best heavy metal guitarist of all time, let alone just thrash metal. I love megadeth, but even Dave and Marty have nothing on this absolute legend. Compare the Tornado of Souls or Hangar 18 solos to Cemetery Gates or Walk, and he does it effortlessly. Even if you just look at his hands with no sound, Dime just has the best physical technique. He is for sure my biggest inspiration in the world of guitar.
Will people stop saying that Pantera isn't a thrash band? Groove metal is a sub genre for thrash metal and anyway. Thrash metal fans are idiots.
With Mustaine and Friedman at the top of this list it is a straight up joke. Dimebag smokes these boys. Not to mention he was a one man army!
As great of a guitarist he is he isn't a thrash meta guitarist he's a groove metal guitarist
Gary Wayne Holt is an American guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. He is a guitarist, the bandleader, and the main songwriter for the American thrash metal band Exodus and is also a guitarist for the American thrash metal band Slayer. I prefer Skolnick and Friedman, but seeing Holt below Hammett is upsetting. Gary Holt is probably the best example of how thrash guitarists should play the genre. Because really, anything related to Exodus is pretty definitive of thrash in general (and I'm not a fanboy. Exodus isn't even in my top favorite thrash bands). Nevertheless, Gary Holt is one of the first players that comes to my mind when thinking of thrash. That should count for something.
So under appreciated it is criminal I think this list is very good but holt needs to be in the top four. Happy to see Skolnick get the appreciation he deserves. Listen to some Exodus and you'll see why Holt needs some more votes. Saw him live with slayer during the summer he did all the soloing king stuck to rhythm and Holt just showcased what a phenom he is.
Thrash Metal was graced when Gary Holt appeared on the scene. The man is a pure thrasher at heart. I'm disappointed to see that his best running partner, Rick Hunolt, isn't even on this list. Him and Gary were almost inseparable and I only wish I could've seen them both raising some Cajun Hell in the late 80's with Exodus!
Gary Holt doesn't have the best solos, but he writes the greatest thrash riffs. And guys, stop talking about Dave Mustaine. Yeah he's a mess up at times, but he was a lead guitarist... not for megadeth but Metallica in their demo days. Lot of the stuff from the debut still had his licks
He outclasses every guitarist in this list. He's not only best in thrash but propably in whole metal genre as well. The way he combines his mad shredding and technical skills with melodic phrasing is incredible. He's a true guitar virtuoso.
Josh plays with intensity! But with that comes an intricate, clean style, that is lacking in some of the other greats!
He is the vocalist and lead guitarist of Kreator. Check out Pleasure to Kill and Enemy of God if you have any doubt about his talent!
I think they confuse popularity vs talent, if you haven't seen 'Mille' in concert you havn't seen anything, people like Petrozza, Rico, Urbinati, Hanneman, Sifringer, Wilkens are truly underrated
Speed, precision and pure talent. Seen them live amazing guitarist.
Great musician... World class
Kerry Ray King is an American musician, best known as a guitarist for the American thrash metal band Slayer. I feel like Kerry King gets overlooked a bit. He has a lot of really good solos and leads, especially on the South of Heaven album and Seasons in the Abyss album.
Best guitarist in my opinion and Dave Mustaine is just a story he sucks and Martie Friedman is way better than him
You guys haven't probably listened to Kerry king play. He deserves to be in the top ten.
He should b in top 10 thrash guitarists
Other than Skolnick the only progressive Thrash guitarist. So technical these other retards would never be able to play his music.
Number one, undeniably so..
Master of guitar. Best riff's.
Technical thrash at its best
Andreas Rudolf Kisser is a Brazilian musician, songwriter and producer. He is most known for being the lead guitarist for the metal band Sepultura. He has been featured on every Sepultura release since their second album, Schizophrenia. Oh HELL NO, that loser Kerry King before Kisser? Someone needs to get his ears checked or what is (or should be) between the ears.
Wheter back on the days or now, Andreas always put together great guitar's technique (riffs, creativity and speed). Very well-rounded.
All Sepultura is great, his guitar playing is better now than back in the day... Andreas is one of the best ever.
Why wasn't he on this list, old Sepultura was great.
Lee Altus is an amazing guitar player, he plays and shreds just like Gary Holt but at the same time he stands on his own as a unique guitar player. He deserves to be in the Top 5 along with Mustaine, Friedman, Holt and Skolnick. THRASH RULES! m/
Simply amazing
James Alan Hetfield was born on August 3, 1963. He is an American musician, singer and songwriter known for being the co-founder, lead vocalist, rhythm guitarist and main songwriter for the American heavy metal band Metallica. Yes, he is not really a lead guitarist. But he can play lead guitar. And he has also played.
Not a lead guitarist, and even in his rhythm guitarist he is not a very good player...
Not really a lead guitarist
What the hell is he doing on this list?
"Through Eyes Of Glass"
Scott Ian is an American musician, best known as the rhythm guitarist, backing and additional lead vocalist, and the only remaining original founding member of the thrash metal band Anthrax. He also writes the lyrics on all their albums. Lead guitarist?
Thomas Such, better known by his stage name Tom Angelripper, is the founding member and main songwriter of German thrash metal band Sodom.Incredible talent!
He could run most of the guitarist in the top 10 out of town
Listen to the solo of shred, so fast, so powerful.
With Bobby they didn't need a second guitar player.what other band can really say that
Charles Michael Kittridge Thompson IV (born April 6, 1965) is an American singer, songwriter and guitarist. He is best known as the frontman of the influential alternative rock band Pixies, with whom he performs under the stage name Black Francis. A very good guitarist that definitely deserves to have a higher ranking on this list because compare the "persecution mania"solo to Metallica's "hit the lights" solo and you'll more than likely see a drastic difference.
Why is there Frank Black from the Pixies on the pic?
underrated