Best Neoclassical Metal Guitarists
Yngwie Johan Malmsteen is a Swedish guitarist, songwriter and bandleader who was born on June 30th, 1963, in Stockholm, Sweden. He was known for his neoclassical metal playing style back in the 1980s. What makes Yngwie known as the inventor of neoclassical metal is that he does neoclassical stuff in all of his songs. People who say Ritchie and Uli were the pioneers are wrong. They only did a few neoclassical things, not as their main musical part like Yngwie does. In fact, he was severely criticized for doing the same music throughout his career, to the point that I would become annoyed because it gets boring if it's always the same.
But I respect his opinion for doing what he wants to do like we know him now. Other neoclassical artists only do it at the beginning, and after a few albums, they start leaving it. It's proven that all his catalogs are full of neoclassical stuff, and there's no doubt that not only as a guitarist but the entire catalog defines neoclassical metal.
He took guitar playing to a new level a few years after Eddie Van Halen. Any modern shredder guitarist today knows him as a pioneer of this genre. Sadly, only his '80s work was great. The rest was average, and his post-2000s work has creepy home production quality. Mostly, I listen to his '80s stuff. Of course, I have listened to many main bands in almost every known metal subgenre.
Richard Hugh "Ritchie" Blackmore is an English guitarist and songwriter, best known for his work in the hard rock/metal bands Deep Purple and Rainbow. He was ranked number 16 on Guitar World's "100 Greatest Metal Guitarists of All Time" in 2004, and number 50 in Rolling Stone magazine's list of the... read more At his prime, he was untouchable live when he felt like it. Creative, innovative, and always interesting.
Jason Eli Becker (born July 22, 1969) is an American neoclassical metal guitarist and composer. At the age of 16, he became part of the Shrapnel Records-produced duo Cacophony with his friend Marty Friedman. They released the albums Speed Metal Symphony in 1987 and Go Off! in 1988. Cacophony broke up... read more He was already very good when he used to perform and created great songs in his teenage years. He beats most sweep pickers with what he did at 18 or 19. He could've been even better if he hadn't developed ALS. The sad thing is that he doesn't even have an image on this site. Not even saved in the database.
I really don't care what the list says. Jason will always be my guitar hero. He's simply the best. Richie and Yngwie won't stand a chance against him, to be honest.
This is simple: No one at age 18 can compose an album like Perpetual Burn. Oh wait, Jason Becker did it. Unmatched talent.
Randall William "Randy" Rhoads was an American heavy metal guitarist who played with Ozzy Osbourne and Quiet Riot. He was killed in a plane crash. Randy Rhoads, a name synonymous with shredding, is one of the greatest metal guitarists of all time. He should unseat Ritchie, as Ritchie was more blues. He is the main influence on my guitar playing (besides Dave Mustaine and Yngwie), and he should be viewed as the best.
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 There are other guitar players that should be here like Mendel Bij, but from this list, the amazing Marty Friedman is the best one!
Because of Tornado of Souls, Poison Was the Cure, Lucretia, Hangar 18, and Cacophony.
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.
Uli Jon Roth is a German guitarist, who became famous as the Scorpions lead guitarist, and is one of the earliest contributors to the neoclassical metal genre. Uli Roth flat out blows everyone away, including Eddie Van Halen. With albums like In Trance, Virgin Killer, and Fly to the Rainbow, nobody was playing this technically and furiously. Period!
Konstantinos Karamitroudis also known as Gus G, born September 12, 1980 in Greece is a heavy metal guitarist. He currently plays with his band Firewind and Ozzy Osbourne
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American hard rock/heavy metal guitarist. He is best known for being the co-founder of the band Mr. Big. He was also a member of Racer X, with whom he released several albums.
George Lynch is an American hard rock guitarist and songwriter. Lynch is best known for his work with heavy metal band Dokken and his band Lynch Mob.The Newcomers
Michael James Romeo is an American guitarist and a founding member of the progressive metal group Symphony X. If Malmsteen knew how to write riffs.
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
Michael Angelo Batio also known as Mike Batio or MAB, is an American heavy metal guitarist and columnist from Chicago, Illinois. Even faster than Yngwie. He's an epic shredder, way too low on this list. The only one here that might be better is Vinnie Moore.
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 mostly plays technical death metal, but some of his licks sound like neoclassical metal licks.
Tommy Baron is a Swiss musician best known for his tenure with the metal band Coroner. After that band's dissolution, he joined Germany's Kreator for a time.
He also runs the New Sound Studio in Pfäffikon, located in the canton of Schwyz. Coroner guitarist Tommy Baron basically plays technical and progressive thrash metal, but his style is neoclassical, especially in solos and instrumentals.
His instrumentals: Arc-Lite, Nosferatu
Timo Tapio Tolkki is a Finnish musician best known as the former guitarist, songwriter and producer of the power metal band Stratovarius.
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 moreIf everyone on Earth listened to his entire discography with every band he's been in, they wouldn't think twice before immediately putting him in the Top 10.
He created his own genre of music and universe. He has his own online guitar course with worldwide subscriptions.
When people from all walks of life listen, the bare minimum response is appreciation. When I put Rhapsody's first album on at maximum volume in a warehouse, the whole staff stopped working, was in awe, and asked me what it was they were hearing.
A man who studied all forms of music and only loves the best said, "He's a genius of his style." Another musician I know, who has been practicing music his whole life from the rock, country, jazz, and classical greats with extreme ease, and is now part of the official Led Zeppelin tribute band of North America, felt timid upon first listen.
The music is the epitome of epic music. It's considered a given that many audience members of both sexes will weep during performances. Many experience an incredible natural, sober, whole-body buzz. One time, someone even 'climaxed' near the end of the show just due to the sounds.
This music ennobles people to have better characters.
