Metal Reviews

Determining the twenty greatest death metal guitarists of all time was an appropriately brutal, bloody and chaotic process. In its initial planning stages, this was to be a list of the 10 greatest death metal guitarists of all time. But then the IMs and emails started flying back and forth among Decibel's editorial staff: What about so-and-so? That guy over this guy? What the fuck do you mean, "overrated?" Cases were made. Feelings got hurt. The fact that any of us have girlfriends was regarded with solemn wonder. Ten guitarists became 20. Finally, we have a list that's 100% guaranteed not to please everybody. Which is kind of the point: Death metal, as maligned as it is (it all sounds the same, you can't understand what the guy is saying, Cookie Monster, blah blah et cetera), offers up enough diversity and has so many accomplished, and often visionary players that making this list was fucking HARD. At first glance, there's not much common ground between Baz Thompson's monolithic chugging and Muhammed Suicmez's impossible uber-shredding, or between Opeth's Mikael Akerfeldt and grindcore riff-factory Scott Hull. What all of our picks do share, whether they're self-taught or classically trained, dedicated to progression or happy to pay tribute to their metal guitar heroes, is a discipline and devotion that we'll put up against any other genre any day of the week. Given another few weeks and a mediator to keep things from getting violent, we probably could have stretched it to 40.


20::Paul Ryan (Origin)

19::Nicke Andersson (Nihilist, Entombed, Death Breath)

18::Barry "Baz" Thompson (Bolt Thrower)

17::Nergal (Behemoth)

16::Patrick Mameli (Pestilence)

15::Robert Vigna (Immolation)

14::Matt Harvey (Exhumed, Repulsion, Dekapitator)

13::Luc Lemay (Gorguts, Negativa)

12::Muhammed Suicmez (Necrophagist)

11::Terrance Hobbs (Suffocation)

10::Erik Rutan (Hate Eternal, Morbid Angel, Ripping Corpse)

9::Scott Hull (Pig Destroyer, Agoraphobic Nosebleed)

8::Kelly Shaefer (Atheist, Neurotica)

7::James Murphy (Death, Obituary, Cancer, Disincarnate)

6::Mikael Akerfedlt (Opeth)

5::Anders Bjorler (At the Gates, The Haunted)

4::Karl Sanders (Nile)

3::Bill Steer (Carcass, Napalm Death)

2::Chuck Schuldiner (Mantas, Death)

1::Trey Azagthoth (Morbid Angel)

I would know a ton of people that would disagree with Muhammed Suicmez's placing, but I'm not one of them.

Trey Azagthoth should've been #9.

No. Placing him on the top is correct.

I dunno, he's a good guitarist, but Best Death Metal Guitarist seems a little much. Chuck Schuldiner was much more memorable as a guitarist to me. :/

No. Placing him on the top is correct.

I would know a ton of people that would disagree with Muhammed Suicmez's placing, but I'm not one of them.

Not a bad list, although I'd put Karl Sanders, Terrance Hobbs, Kelly Shaefer, James Murphy, Bill Steer and Chuck S. above Trey Azagthoth

Azagtoth surely deserves to be on every single positive death metal list, he is simply the god of death metal alright but if we're talking skills I think there are guys who would surpass him. Like Chuck.

Once you've seen Trey live and in person, you realize that not only is he the best Death Metal guitarist there is, but he's one of the best guitarists ever.

I'm a little surprised at the lack of recognition Trey is getting from some of you. He is definitely a deserving #1. Overall, I think that list is very accurate.

And come on Zad, Hobbs and Shaefer above Trey?! Methinks you need to go listen to Altars of Madness again.