Greatest Death Metal Guitarists
The greatest Death metal guitarists of all time. They are absolutely the masters.
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 I grew up listening to Rob Halford singing his balls off, thinking, "Jesus, this guy has the best voice I've heard in metal!" That changed when I heard Death cover "Painkiller." Chuck has the best scream in the history of music on that song.
Definitely agree, and this man is surely missed by millions because of the raw emotion you feel and the sense of purpose and meaning when he played. Very well-rounded guitarist and frontman. Still miss you, Chuck!
One of the greatest Death Metal composers ever, both as a guitarist and as a vocalist. Just listen to The Sound of Perseverance to check out some of his finest solos.
Trey Azagthoth is ridiculously good. His technical skill is truly amazing, and his signature insane soloing and Pete's maddening drumming are what give Morbid Angel its sound. Moreover, by being one of the first to bring atonality into soloing, he influenced all of death metal. A true innovator.
Trey is the most talented guitarist and more talented than Chuck Schuldiner. I love his guitar solos. Yeah, Morbid Angel rocks my world!
In terms of technical skills, this guy is probably one of the greatest of all time. Awesome musician as well. You can listen to Morbid Angel.
Muhammed Suiçmez was born in Karlsruhe, Germany, to Turkish immigrants. He is the frontman and guitarist of the German technical death metal band Necrophagist. He's number one for me. Necrophagist is my favorite band, and in my opinion, even the "worst" Necrophagist solo (all of their solos are amazing) is better than the best Death solo.
The best Death solo, in my opinion, is by Andy LaRocque (from "Trapped in a Corner"). I was never a big fan of Chuck's solos (they're not bad, of course, but he's much better at writing riffs, in my opinion).
When listening to Necrophagist, the best way I can describe it is neoclassical progressive technical death metal. That's how special Muhammed's songwriting is. There's no one else that sounds like Necrophagist completely. Keep in mind that Muhammed is Necrophagist, since he wrote every single instrument.
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. One of the most creative and influential players in the genre. Extremely good player deserving of a top 5 spot.
Very talented guitarist. He started the whole Melodic Death Metal guitar playing.
Fantastic guitar player. Never get bored of listening to his work with Carcass.
Lars Mikael Åkerfeldt is a Swedish musician, prominently known as the lead vocalist, guitarist, and primary songwriter of progressive death metal band Opeth, as well as being the former vocalist of death metal supergroup Bloodbath for three albums up until 2012... read more I think Mikael is my second favorite death metal guitar player, but he is still amazing along with Chuck, Nergal, Trey, Karl Sanders, Jack Owen, and Bill Steer.
Mikael is one of the greatest guitar players and songwriters in modern metal. Still Life is possibly the best composition I've ever heard.
Another guitar player who can be argued as the greatest of all time. Amazing composer as well.
Jack Owen makes the most catchy and complex riffs look easy. His soloing is creative and distinct. He is the reason why The Bleeding is Cannibal Corpse's best-selling album to date.
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 Alexi blows heads off with some epic solos. He deserves to be on the top. Some of these kick-ass numbers:
Punch Me I Bleed
Angels Don't Kill
In Your Face
Not the fastest guitar player, but the most technical. Look how he uses the whammy bar and licks. Just amazing.
Definitely Alexi L. is the guitarist and composer. I agree with all your comments.
Often overlooked and underappreciated, Terrance spawned technical death metal as we know it. Not just that, he's never sacrificed creativity for the sake of pure technique. His style of writing doesn't rely solely on mindless sweep picking and going as fast as possible. Hobbs utilizes complex and unorthodox structures, layered riffing, frequent tempo and signature changes, uncommon scales, and so on. There's a certain sophistication in it that most death metal players lack.
His chording is dense and complex. His leads are breathtaking. In a field loaded with talent, even Terrance stands out. Not only is he fast, but the scales and note patterns he uses are highly advanced. He constructs amazing solos, showing impeccable taste and precision. There seems to be a quasi-jazz sensibility and musicianship brewing beneath the maelstrom of death metal. He must be ranked at least in the top 5.
Karl Sanders is an American musician, most widely known as the founding member of the American ancient Egyptian-themed technical death metal band Nile. A master of the evil arts of shred, Karl has the ability to take any melody and weave it into an astonishingly evil sound. He has a level of mastery almost unparalleled by any other. He himself has forged quite a path in the world of technical death metal.
His technical skill and harmonization with Dallas are just amazing. Highly underrated.
Karl and Pat O'Brien deserve the top 2 spots.
John Gallagher is an American singer and musician mostly known as the the lead guitarist and vocalist of the band Dying Fetus. Gallagher's writing combines sheer brutality with technical playing that defines Dying Fetus.
The Newcomers
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. Incomparable. Jeff is the evil version of Yngwie. He's brutal, clean, fast, precise, creative, and seemingly has superhuman levels of endurance.
He is one of the most pristine guitarists in all of heavy metal history.
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. For the sake of Beneath and Arise.
Mitch Harris is an American guitarist, born in Queens, New York, then moving to Las Vegas, Nevada, but currently living in Birmingham, England. Heavy and interesting riffs and licks. He is a great guitarist with lots of energy.
Adam Nergal Darski (born Adam Michał Darski; 10 June 1977 in Gdynia), is a Polish musician and television personality, best known for being the frontman for the black/death metal band Behemoth... read more What the hell? He should be in a better position! People don't listen to music or what?
Should be in the top 5. One of the best guitar players in all of rock music.
The greatest guitarist of all time should at least be in the top 5 position. It's not fair.
Top 5 forever! Only because there is no one else on the planet that could have come up with the awesome solos he did on Obituary's Cause of Death album. I find that album just a little more mysterious and creepier because of this man's solos! Kudos to James!
Absolutely amazing shredder. His record for death metal bands is perfect. Great tones and great chops. I consider him the Chris Poland of death metal.
An awesome guitarist. He played for two of the most iconic death metal bands (Death and Obituary).
What more can I say? He is a beast!
He is one of the most skilled guitarists I've ever seen. His solos are so perfect, melodic, and emotional. He's way better than Alexi because his solos are more perfected and mature.
This man can make meaningful and long solos with no mistake. He's amazingly skilled. Just listen to the solos on Hades, Heroes to Us, They Will Return, Evil in You, Swampwar, Wings of Blackening, and many more.
Very underrated guitarist. Those who disagree can listen to all solos from their album They Will Return.
Pat O'Brien is an American musician who is the former lead guitarist for the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He was also a former member of the heavy metal band Nevermore and a former touring musician with the thrash metal band Slayer. This guy's rhythms are harder than most guitarists' solos. I have yet to see this guy play less than perfectly. Just listen to Frantic Disembowelment.
Simply the best death metal lead guitarist of his generation. He can play anything. Literally anything. Pat is one of a kind!
He is technically amazing. Just watch him play Frantic Disembowelment. He is also dedicated to his instrument and even toured with Slayer when Gary Holt left to tour with Exodus.
He even looks dead. He has the heaviest tone and his riffs just make your eyes bleed. Truly one of the masters of heavy groove.
Ridiculously underrated. Heck, his brother is better than some high up on this list, and Eric has the full package.
Very creative and emotional playing.
Should be at least number 3! Don't get me wrong, many guitarists here have amazing skills and feeling, and all of them have their own styles, but Vogg has always been my guitar hero. He managed to contribute a lot to the scene at an early age when Decapitated released Winds of Creation in 2000, when Vogg was 17 years old. He then went on to make his music much more technical without taking away the feel and soul. He has gone through so much in his life but still manages to be on top, making great music. He is a real riff machine!
Should be much higher. Ridiculously talented guitar player worthy of a top 3 spot on this list.
Fantastic player. Technically masterful, has taste in his writing, never overplays, and always has air in his leads.
Michael Amott is a British-born Swedish guitarist, songwriter, founding member of the bands Arch Enemy, Spiritual Beggars, and Carnage, as well as a former member of the grindcore band Carcass. Fantastic, memorable leads! Michael is an incredible songwriter and driving force. He chooses to have the sweeter-sounding leads and lets his mastery shine through at all the right moments. He is one of the greatest players in death metal history.