Most Influential Extreme Metal Guitarists

GREYBOYY

The Top Ten

1 Chuck Schuldiner (Death; Slaughter; Control Denied; Voodoocult) Chuck Schuldiner (Death; Slaughter; Control Denied; Voodoocult) 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 ...read more.

His Dark and Extreme and Fast guitar Playing defined the Death Metal guitars, later in the the Death album "Human", he played extremely Technical/Progressive, he's guitar playing style is influential to many Extreme metal bands. - GREYBOYY

One of the reasons why I play guitar.His solos blew me away when I first heard them,even the riffs are great.It's special that a death metal guitarist can make very melodic riffs and solos.

2 Euronymous (Mayhem) Euronymous (Mayhem) Øystein Aarseth (1968-1993), who went by the pseudonym Euronymous, was a Norwegian guitarist and co-founder of the Norwegian black metal band Mayhem. Euronymous was stabbed to death by band member Varg Vikernes in August 1993. ...read more.

This guy defined the way of Black Metal guitar playing to many bands, he should be #1. - GREYBOYY

3 Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) Tony Iommi (Black Sabbath) Anthony Frank "Tony" Iommi is an English guitarist, songwriter and producer. Best known as lead guitarist and founding member of the pioneering heavy metal band Black Sabbath, he has been the band's sole continual member and primary composer. At age 17, he accidentally lost the fingertips of his middle ...read more.

He himself wasn't even an extreme metal guitarist. The most common thing about extreme metal is fast guitar riffs (alt picking, tremolo picking, palm muting) Tony Iommi was a slow guitarist. Not fast. The only thing that could've done was palm muting. - zxm

Tony Iommi's guitar style greatly influenced and defines doom metal. - GREYBOYY

He deserves to be higher! - Fan_of_Good_Music

It would be stupid to put anyone except tony iommi at the top. not only is he the best guitarist in the bunch, he invented the genre.

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4 Bill Steer (Carcass; Napalm Death) Bill Steer (Carcass; Napalm Death) Bill Steer is a British guitar player, and co-founder of the extreme metal band Carcass. He is considered a pioneer and an essential contributor to grindcore and death metal due to his involvement in Napalm Death and Carcass, two of the most important bands of those genres.

Ladies and Gentelmen, I'm glad to indroduce you Bill Steer, the man who started the whole melodic guitar playing. - GREYBOYY

5 Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)
6 Dave Mustaine (Megadeth; Metallica) Dave Mustaine (Megadeth; Metallica) 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.

He is simply the best

Dave can play 100% better than Euronymous. YOU CAN'T EVEN COMPARE THEM. I think Tony, Dave, and Dimebag deserve to be much higher. Also, why isn't Mick Thompson on here at all?

Woo Metallica

7 Jeff Hanneman (Slayer) Jeff Hanneman (Slayer) Jeffrey John "Jeff" Hanneman was an American musician, best known as a founding member of the American thrash metal band Slayer.

Chaotic and Noisy but Thrash/Death/Black Metal bands were influenced by him. - GREYBOYY

The main reason why I play guitar.If he didn't exist I wouldn't have played guitar.When I first listened to Angel of Death,the riffs,the agression,the tone and THE SOLO blew me away.From that moment I said to myself:"I want to play like this."A unique thing about Jeff is that his creativity and songwriting skills are more advanced than his technical skills on guitar,not many guitarists are like this.R.I.P Jeff m/

8 Ihsahn (Emperor) Ihsahn (Emperor) Ihsahn is a Norwegian composer, multi-instrumentalist, and vocalist. He is best known for his work with Norwegian black metal band Emperor.

Ihsahn was the first person who mixed Symphonic and Progressive Elements to Black Metal, he deserves to be in list. - GREYBOYY

9 Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) 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.

Why should I comment? You all know why he's here, RIP. - GREYBOYY

10 Matt Harvey (Exhumed; Repulsion; Dekapitator)

The Contenders

11 Pat O'Brien (Cannibal Corpse) Pat O'Brien (Cannibal Corpse) Pat O'Brien is the lead guitarist for the death metal band Cannibal Corpse, as well as a former member for the heavy metal band Nevermore, and a former touring musician with the thrash metal band Slayer.

Best guitarist ever,

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