Great Metal Rhythm Players

[abracadabra]

which are your favourites?

James Hetfield is always held in high esteem. Dave Mustaine as well (especially by himself). who else would you put in their category? either because of their ability to lay down great rhythm while singing or just because of their extremely tight playing.

one player I've recently started listening to is Jon Schaffer of Iced Earth. incredibly tight playing.

I know we could call any lifelong pro musician 'great', but who really stands out for you?

 

[guitguy28]

Hetfield has always been #1 for me. It's about more than technical ability as it's also about being able to create memorable riffs.

Tony Iommi is of course the one who started it all…

Dimebag was a great rhythm player and riff-writer, as well as being one of the best lead players.

 

[sanrico]

Hetfield for me. To this day, those early albums still make me want to crank my radio and drive fast.

Downing/Tipton...I don't know which one wrote their riffs, but I sure love them.

 

[SlumFrog]

My favorite Id say is Bruce Franklin of Trouble. I personally like him & Rick Wartell more than Hetfield & Hammett.

 

[Telefunky]

EVH is a genius rhythm player but he's not really considered "metal" anymore. Randy Rhoads was pretty underrated as a rhythm player for sure. I'd say the big "metal" guys are Hetfield, Mustaine and Dime. I have to admit Malmsteen is an incredible rhythm player too although people don't think of him that way. Regardless, he's somewhat of a metal version of Hendrix when it comes to rhythm playing.

 

[The Captain]

So many to choose from.
Papa Het, of course, but not forgetting that the Hampster doubles all his parts live.
Dudes from Iron Maiden, eg the Trooper.
Matt Tuck from BFMV
Akerfeldt from Opeth, he's a dude.

 

[V-man]

I will be the one to give attention to the big guys who deserve the attention/respect that people will fail to mention here. The Brits obviously deserve the recognition and respect (Iommi, Downing/Tipton, Smith/Murray). Hetfield is obvious, and Mustaine is phenomenal on both sides of the 12th fret, mostly for his unique style of play, whereas Rhoads, like Mustaine (only on a higher plane) simply transcend roles as a pure force of guitar. Nevertheless, These are the heroes of Metal that deserve their share of the glory:

Scott Ian:

In terms of RHYTHM: Deathrider, Metal Thrashing Mad, Subjugator, Across the River, and Howling Furies from Anthrax's debut album holds up against any Hetfield-written riffs from Kill 'em All.

More importantly (and sadly forgotten/overlooked) Scott (and Charlie) created S.O.D., which again, in terms of RHYTHM, keeps up if not slays everything Metallica wrote through '85 (Fight Fire with Fire excepted). Anthrax doesn't really hold up like the rest of the big 4, which I attribute to post-thrash performance (post-91). However, from '83-'86, they more than held their own in that realm and Ian's riffs were a crucial component to that.

Eric Peterson:

It has been suggested that Testament usurp Anthrax for the last seat in the "Big 4" and for good reason. Testament produced some of the finest and most underrated Bay Area thrash created from '87-'92. While they reformed from the Legacy to Testament and were a few years behind Metallica in terms of maturity of musicianship, their Debut album came out like a veteran masterpiece and they never missed a beat throughout the apex of thrash. While few people are going to favor their debut over MOP, their second album certainly overtook AJFA in terms of savagery, and the energy/intensity of their rhythm at its best is second only to Slayer (Skolnick's Leads generally kill Slayer's AND Hammett's but that's a different topic).


Kerry King:

Obviously, he will actually get his share of attention here. People can hate on his "chromatic" stylings south of the 12th fret, but he and the amazing JH (RIP) gave thrash the most insane riffs known to the genre. People can favor other bands for overall consistency, solos, etc. but in terms of riffs/rhythms there is not a band in thrash that can beat (or even equal them, including/especially Metallica). If you have seen Slayer play with ANY of the big 4 back in the days when KK actually had hair, there was no experience on earth nearly as intense as enduring the crowd during Angel of Death.

 

[Ang3lus]

Petrucci, Jake E Lee, Zakk Wylde, Mustaine.

 

[abracadabra]

I will be the one to give attention to the big guys who deserve the attention/respect that people will fail to mention here. The Brits obviously deserve the recognition and respect (Iommi, Downing/Tipton, Smith/Murray). Hetfield is obvious, and Mustaine is phenomenal on both sides of the 12th fret, mostly for his unique style of play, whereas Rhoads, like Mustaine (only on a higher plane) simply transcend roles as a pure force of guitar. Nevertheless, These are the heroes of Metal that deserve their share of the glory:

Scott Ian:

In terms of RHYTHM: Deathrider, Metal Thrashing Mad, Subjugator, Across the River, and Howling Furies from Anthrax's debut album holds up against any Hetfield-written riffs from Kill 'em All.

More importantly (and sadly forgotten/overlooked) Scott (and Charlie) created S.O.D., which again, in terms of RHYTHM, keeps up if not slays everything Metallica wrote through '85 (Fight Fire with Fire excepted). Anthrax doesn't really hold up like the rest of the big 4, which I attribute to post-thrash performance (post-91). However, from '83-'86, they more than held their own in that realm and Ian's riffs were a crucial component to that.

Eric Peterson:

It has been suggested that Testament usurp Anthrax for the last seat in the "Big 4" and for good reason. Testament produced some of the finest and most underrated Bay Area thrash created from '87-'92. While they reformed from the Legacy to Testament and were a few years behind Metallica in terms of maturity of musicianship, their Debut album came out like a veteran masterpiece and they never missed a beat throughout the apex of thrash. While few people are going to favor their debut over MOP, their second album certainly overtook AJFA in terms of savagery, and the energy/intensity of their rhythm at its best is second only to Slayer (Skolnick's Leads generally kill Slayer's AND Hammett's but that's a different topic).


Kerry King:

Obviously, he will actually get his share of attention here. People can hate on his "chromatic" stylings south of the 12th fret, but he and the amazing JH (RIP) gave thrash the most insane riffs known to the genre. People can favor other bands for overall consistency, solos, etc. but in terms of riffs/rhythms there is not a band in thrash that can beat (or even equal them, including/especially Metallica). If you have seen Slayer play with ANY of the big 4 back in the days when KK actually had hair, there was no experience on earth nearly as intense as enduring the crowd during Angel of Death.

agreed. all those players are great.

I'm a huge fan of both Testament and Slayer and of all the big '5' (including Testament) I find Testament's rhythm parts the hardest to play.

imho Testament is much better overall than Anthrax, although Among the Living is a big favourite of mine. The New Order is definitely in the top five thrash albums of the 80s. only MoP, RtL and RiP beat it hands down imo.

 

[Chrome Dinette]

Tom Warrior of Celtic Frost

 

[V-man]

Gotta love Celtic Frost!

 

[Chrome Dinette]

Also, Abbath, of Immortal:

 

[ungarn]

 

[Ermghoti]

I will be the one to give attention to the big guys who deserve the attention/respect that people will fail to mention here. The Brits obviously deserve the recognition and respect (Iommi, Downing/Tipton, Smith/Murray). Hetfield is obvious, and Mustaine is phenomenal on both sides of the 12th fret, mostly for his unique style of play, whereas Rhoads, like Mustaine (only on a higher plane) simply transcend roles as a pure force of guitar. Nevertheless, These are the heroes of Metal that deserve their share of the glory:

Scott Ian:

In terms of RHYTHM: Deathrider, Metal Thrashing Mad, Subjugator, Across the River, and Howling Furies from Anthrax's debut album holds up against any Hetfield-written riffs from Kill 'em All.

More importantly (and sadly forgotten/overlooked) Scott (and Charlie) created S.O.D., which again, in terms of RHYTHM, keeps up if not slays everything Metallica wrote through '85 (Fight Fire with Fire excepted). Anthrax doesn't really hold up like the rest of the big 4, which I attribute to post-thrash performance (post-91). However, from '83-'86, they more than held their own in that realm and Ian's riffs were a crucial component to that.

Eric Peterson:

It has been suggested that Testament usurp Anthrax for the last seat in the "Big 4" and for good reason. Testament produced some of the finest and most underrated Bay Area thrash created from '87-'92. While they reformed from the Legacy to Testament and were a few years behind Metallica in terms of maturity of musicianship, their Debut album came out like a veteran masterpiece and they never missed a beat throughout the apex of thrash. While few people are going to favor their debut over MOP, their second album certainly overtook AJFA in terms of savagery, and the energy/intensity of their rhythm at its best is second only to Slayer (Skolnick's Leads generally kill Slayer's AND Hammett's but that's a different topic).


Kerry King:

Obviously, he will actually get his share of attention here. People can hate on his "chromatic" stylings south of the 12th fret, but he and the amazing JH (RIP) gave thrash the most insane riffs known to the genre. People can favor other bands for overall consistency, solos, etc. but in terms of riffs/rhythms there is not a band in thrash that can beat (or even equal them, including/especially Metallica). If you have seen Slayer play with ANY of the big 4 back in the days when KK actually had hair, there was no experience on earth nearly as intense as enduring the crowd during Angel of Death.

I have nothing to add.

 

[SL_22]

herman frank & jorg fischer from accept
rudy schenker
jake e. lee
robbin Crosby
mick mars
vito bratta
downing/tipton

 

[Sal]

Darryl from Pantera. He took the 80s sound into the 90s and they kept the heavy metal flag flying in the post-Nirvava era by going even heavier and less melodic (unlike Metallica).

 

[6Tones]

+1! Simple ,catchy and to the point type of rhythm player,Great melody writer as well ..just dont let him sing lead vocals lol.

 

[freedom's door]

If you consider King's X metal, T Tabor definitely belongs on this list.

Paul Gilbert and Bruce Bouillet did some great rhythm playing on the Racer X albums.

 

[harmonicator]

Chuck Schuldiner and Paul Masvidal.

 

[Boston617]

Phil Campbell from Motorhead. Criminally underrated.