Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Recording Week 25
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • As It Was preset
  • Don't Give Up
  • Ron Wood's drum secret
  • 95k+ free music samples
Don't miss these
Brent Hinds plays a bespoke ESP offset live in Mexico as he performs with Mastodon in 2022.
Artists “My mind’s the most cosmic place I could ever visit. All I have to do is zone out and play the guitar, and before you know it, I’ve visited places unheard of”: Remembering Brent Hinds, the maverick who trampled metal guitar underfoot with Mastodon
Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost plays his custom 7-string V live onstage with red and white stagelights behind him.
Artists Greg Mackintosh on the secrets behind the Paradise Lost sound and why he is still trying to learn Trouble’s tone tricks
A composite image of Steve Vai [left] playing his green PIA Ibanez signature guitar onstage with the Satch/Vai band, and right, the late, great Allan Holdsworth playing an S-style with a cigarette smoking wedged on the strings.
Artists Steve Vai on why Allan Holdsworth – the fusion virtuoso who wrote his own rules – was the GOAT
Otoha holds a blue Fender Strat in a staged setting with neon pink and blue lights overhead.
Artists IDLES, Wet Leg and Sam Fender all graduated from the Fender Next programme – meet its Class of 2025
Derek Trucks takes a slide solo on his Gibson SG as Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at Madison Square Garden.
Artists Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide players of all time – here’s how he decides when to use it
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Electric Guitars Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
Brandon Small of Metalocalypse fame in his studio with a black Ibanez Iceman – now fretless – that he is selling in his official Reverb store.
Artists Brendon Small of Dethklok is selling some crazy gear on Reverb – including a fretless Iceman
Jackson American Series Rhoads: the Rhoads is now officially being made in the USA again, and is offered with a choice of a hardtail or Floyd Rose, with the hardtail finished in Satin Black and Snow White, and the Floyd in Satin Black, Matte Army Drab and Snow White. Note the reverse headstock.
Guitars All Rhoads lead to California as Jackson brings one of its most-iconic metal guitars home for a high-end upgrade
Jackson Pro Series Limited Edition Phil Demmel KV King V: the V-style electric is finished in black-and-white polka dots, and looks good in all settings, against a white background or barroom scene alike.
Artists Jackson and Phil Demmel salute Randy Rhoads with limited run Pro Series King V in polka dot finish
Jackson Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas: these retro S-styles take the high-performance electric guitar brand back to the '80s, offering single and dual-humbucker platforms for shred with the choice of rosewood or maple fingerboards – and what about that "Two-Face" black-and-white finish?
Guitars “These guitars empower metal artists with the authentic, crushing tone that built Jackson’s legendary reputation”: Jackson takes us back to the heyday of shred with the Pro Origins 1985 San Dimas series – and what about that Two Face finish?
Korn's Brian 'Head' Welch and James 'Munky' Shaffer show off their new Ibanez signature 7-strings
Artists Korn’s Head and Munky unveil new Ibanez 7-strings – and explain how it all comes back to Steve Vai
A still from KHDK's Instagram reel with the logo emblazoned over one of the stompbox company's new and as-yet-unannounced and unreleased electric guitar designs.
Guitars KHDK Electronics makes pedals for metal's biggest stars; now it's going to make electric guitars too
Zach Myers of Shinedown plays a hunter green PRS NF53 live onstage at Download Festival 2025.
Artists Zach Myers on Shinedown’s secret weapon, the limits of shred guitar, and getting schooled by BB King
Kirk Hammett plays his Mummy ESP onstage with Metallica. In the middle of this comp'd image is the Thinline custom Triplecaster Hammett commissioned then gifted to White. On the right, White plays his Fender Triplecaster with the yellow pickguard.
Artists Kirk Hammett orders up custom version of Jack White’s Triplecaster – and gets one for White, too
Ozzy Osbourne and Zakk Wylde tear it up onstage in 1989. Ozzy is shirtless. Wylde his shirtless, too – and he plays his bullseye graphic Les Paul.
Artists How a Mike Inez bassline kick-started Ozzy classic No More Tears – but he wasn't there to record it
  1. Artists
  2. Guitarists

As I Lay Dying's Nick Hipa: the 10 greatest metal guitarists of all time

News
By Joe Bosso last updated 14 August 2020

"To me, a great metal guitarist – or any great guitarist – is somebody who has his own unique sound and style"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

As I Lay Dying's Nick Hipa: the 10 greatest metal guitarists of all time

As I Lay Dying's Nick Hipa: the 10 greatest metal guitarists of all time

As I Lay Dying's Nick Hipa knows a thing or two about metal guitar, and he more than proves it on the band's upcoming album Awakened, which is brimming with the San Diego shredder's gnashing riffs and cauterizing solos. (In fact, they even have a new song called Cauterized. Can you say "none more metal"?)

Asked to name the 10 greatest metal guitar players of all time, Hipa laid out his criteria: “To me, a great metal guitarist – or any great guitarist – is somebody who has his own unique sound and style. They should have the technical ability to pull off whatever it is they can imagine or wherever their creativity takes them. If somebody can do all of that and write killer riffs and amazing songs, then that’s somebody I want to listen to, and somebody who will inspire me."

Hipa stresses that while he reveres players such as Eddie Van Halen, Jimmy Page and Jimi Hendrix, they don't make his list, simply because "they're not metal," he says. "Eddie is obviously a guitar hero, and he’s easily one of my top five guitarists of all time, but Van Halen, to me, is more rock than metal. I think of metal in more of an extreme context. And some of the guys I'll name are pretty extreme."

On the following pages, Nick Hipa lists the 10 guitarists (well, he stretches the number somewhat) whom he feels burn the brightest. "Ranking people as 'the best' or 'the greatest of all time' is pretty difficult," he says. "Let's just say that these guys are my favorites. To me, they're the greatest."

Page 1 of 11
Page 1 of 11
Dimebag Darrell

Dimebag Darrell

Everything that I said great guitarists should have? That they should have the technical ability to go wherever their minds take them, a strong sense of songwriting, a unique voice, a vibe that’s theirs and nobody else’s – that's Dimebag Darrell. He had all of that and so much more.

"As far as being a metal guitarist goes, he was his own man and he made his own type of music. He did stuff that was so special. Nobody in the world sounded like him.”

Page 2 of 11
Page 2 of 11
Randy Rhoads

Randy Rhoads

“Randy is probably my favorite overall guitar player of all time. He had such class – it was in everything he did. His playing was so smooth, and it was filled with so much melody that you could almost forget that you were listening to what people might term ‘heavy metal.’

“Whenever Randy played, the result was beautiful music. When I hear him, I think to myself, How could anybody not like this? His riffs were killer, and the solos are still absolutely unforgettable.”

Page 3 of 11
Page 3 of 11
James Hetfield

James Hetfield

“He might not fall under the strict category of ‘metal guitarist,’ but I have to give it up for him, purely for being the metal songwriter for the past however many decades.

“Every Metallica album, from the early records right on through to the ‘Black Album,’ were very strong as far as creative riffs go. How did somebody come up with that many riffs for that many albums? And they’re all awesome!

“Basically, he’s got the right hand that every guitar player wants. Listen to Master Of Puppets – this guy tracked those riffs on analog tape, and he’s perfect. The consistency of his playing, his precision, is remarkable. For as much as people put an emphasis on shredding, not a lot of guys can do what Hetfield does. He’s one of my favorite guitarists, period.”

Page 4 of 11
Page 4 of 11
George Lynch

George Lynch

“I don’t know if he’s totally metal, either, but I would have to say George Lynch is right up there. I kind of missed out on what he was doing when I was a kid, because I was into straight metal and wasn’t into the whole hair metal thing, but for the past couple of years, Lynch has been a real influence on me.

“I’ve seen him live a few times, and what I like about him is the fact that he sounds like himself and nobody else. You can’t teach somebody how to do that, and you probably couldn't teach somebody to play like him. To me, he’s a little like Jeff Beck – he plays what he’s feeling, and what he’s feeling is very personal.

“It’s funny: I used to hate whammy bar stuff, but I kind of got into it and did more of it than I was planning to on the new record, and it’s because of guys like Lynch.”

Page 5 of 11
Page 5 of 11
Iron Maiden

Iron Maiden

“I’m going to say ‘Maiden guitarists’ here, specially Dave Murray and Adrian Smith. I should put Steve Harris in there, too, because he’s responsible for writing so many of their songs.

“The intensity and melodic quality of Maiden is kind of what our band tries to achieve. We want the driving energy and that total state of awesomeness, but still, it’s got to be about songs that stick in your head. Maiden have done it so well for so many years.”

Page 6 of 11
Page 6 of 11
Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strömblad - In Flames

Björn Gelotte, Jesper Strömblad - In Flames

“In Flames are kind of like a more modern version of Maiden. They write great songs, great riffs, and they’ve got such solid vibrato. Björn and Jesper are amazing players.”

Page 7 of 11
Page 7 of 11
Mikael kerfeldt - Opeth

Mikael kerfeldt - Opeth

“He writes such a wide variety of music, and it’s all awesome. He’ll come up with one of the most beautiful acoustic guitar parts you ever heard, and then he’ll follow it with one of the best straight-up death metal riffs ever. As far as leads go, his playing is so smooth and buttery.”

Page 8 of 11
Page 8 of 11
Peter Wichers - Soilwork

Peter Wichers - Soilwork

“Soilwork is one of my favorite Swedish metal bands. They’ve got riffs, they’re fast, they’re melodic, and then you’ve got Peter’s guitar playing. As a shredder, he’s extremely, extremely next level. An absolutely brilliant guitarist.”

Page 9 of 11
Page 9 of 11
Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka - Decapitated

Wacław "Vogg" Kiełtyka - Decapitated

“He’s more of a death metal version of what Dimebag was. I got to see him play a few months ago, and he was so on point. It was very inspiring.”

Page 10 of 11
Page 10 of 11
Kurt Ballou - Converge

Kurt Ballou - Converge

“Maybe they’re considered so hardcore or experimental metal that they might not fit as ‘metal,’ but I feel that Kurt’s creativity and innovativeness is so high. He’s doing stuff that is very unique and identifiable to the band.”

Page 11 of 11
Page 11 of 11
Categories
Guitars
Joe Bosso
Joe Bosso

Joe is a freelance journalist who has, over the past few decades, interviewed hundreds of guitarists for Guitar World, Guitar Player, MusicRadar and Classic Rock. He is also a former editor of Guitar World, contributing writer for Guitar Aficionado and VP of A&R for Island Records. He’s an enthusiastic guitarist, but he’s nowhere near the likes of the people he interviews. Surprisingly, his skills are more suited to the drums. If you need a drummer for your Beatles tribute band, look him up.

Read more
Brent Hinds plays a bespoke ESP offset live in Mexico as he performs with Mastodon in 2022.
“My mind’s the most cosmic place I could ever visit. All I have to do is zone out and play the guitar, and before you know it, I’ve visited places unheard of”: Remembering Brent Hinds, the maverick who trampled metal guitar underfoot with Mastodon
 
 
Greg Mackintosh of Paradise Lost plays his custom 7-string V live onstage with red and white stagelights behind him.
Greg Mackintosh on the secrets behind the Paradise Lost sound and why he is still trying to learn Trouble’s tone tricks
 
 
A composite image of Steve Vai [left] playing his green PIA Ibanez signature guitar onstage with the Satch/Vai band, and right, the late, great Allan Holdsworth playing an S-style with a cigarette smoking wedged on the strings.
Steve Vai on why Allan Holdsworth – the fusion virtuoso who wrote his own rules – was the GOAT
 
 
Otoha holds a blue Fender Strat in a staged setting with neon pink and blue lights overhead.
IDLES, Wet Leg and Sam Fender all graduated from the Fender Next programme – meet its Class of 2025
 
 
Derek Trucks takes a slide solo on his Gibson SG as Tedeschi Trucks Band performs live at Madison Square Garden.
Derek Trucks is one of the greatest slide players of all time – here’s how he decides when to use it
 
 
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
 
 
Latest in Guitarists
2013 Inductees Alex Lifeson and Geddy Lee of Rush perform onstage at the 32nd Annual Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame
“I realised how hard it was to play these songs”: Alex Lifeson makes a surprise admission
 
 
Charlie Watts and Ronnie Wood of The Rolling Stones accept the award for Album Of The Year: Public Vote for their album 'Blue & Lonesome'
“He tried it when he came in and he said ‘I can’t do it as good as you, Ronnie. You get back on the drums.’”: When Charlie Watts ceded the drums to Ronnie Wood on a Stones track
 
 
Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1959 Les Paul Custom: a the dual-pickup Custom was a lesser-spotted model in the Gibson catalogue in the '50s – they didn't make many of them. But Bonamassa presents us with one and this 'Black Beauty' is equipped with a Bigsby.
Epiphone raids Joe Bonamassa’s Nerdville archive for another reproduction of a vintage unicorn
 
 
Korn's Brian 'Head' Welch and James 'Munky' Shaffer show off their new Ibanez signature 7-strings
Korn’s Head and Munky unveil new Ibanez 7-strings – and explain how it all comes back to Steve Vai
 
 
Ritchie Blackmore with Rainbow
“I think every serious fan of hard rock music would love Stargazer”: How Ritchie Blackmore created his magnum opus
 
 
Wolfgang Van Halen
“Some riffs have that swing. You hear it in the first Van Halen album”: Wolfgang Van Halen's new song echoes classic VH
 
 
Latest in News
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - FEBRUARY 27: D'Angelo performs at The Apollo Theater on February 27, 2021 in New York City. (Photo by Shahar Azran/Getty Images)
Neo-soul pioneer D’Angelo has died, aged 51
 
 
Harley Benton CLF-50E Parlor Metallic: the compact-bodied acoustic has been launched with a range of metallic finishes.
Harley Benton’s new acoustic is a compact parlour with a solid top and metallic colour finish – and it is just $250
 
 
DANA POINT, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 26: Andrew Watt of Earthlings performs live on stage during Ohana Music Festival at Doheny State Beach on September 26, 2025 in Dana Point, California. (Photo by Jim Bennett/Getty Images)
It took an intervention from Paul McCartney for Mick Jagger to offer Andrew Watt a job with the Rolling Stones
 
 
Behringer
"The rebirth of phase distortion": Behringer releases its Casio CZ-1 clone, the CZ-1 Mini
 
 
Fender's American Professional Classic series photographed against the side of a chrome tour bus [L-R]: Jaguar in faded Sherwood Green Metallic, HSS Stratocaster in Faded Lake Placid Blue, Stratocaster in Faded Firemist Gold, Telecaster in Faded Butterscotch Blonde, Precision Bass in Faded 3-Color Sunburst.
Fender gives its US lineup a retro-modern makeover with the American Professional Classic range
 
 
akai mpk
Akai unveils MPK Mini IV with pitch and mod wheels, new keybed and full-size MIDI output
 
 

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...