Dimebag Darrell of Pantera, the Greatest Heavy Metal Guitarist of All Time

Many guitar aficionados tend to look at heavy metal music as one of the lowest, untalented forms of rock and roll. They believe that by using distortion and not always using complex chords or arpeggios, that heavy metal guitar players are a lower form then others such as blues, jazz, or classical players.

I can't tell you how many times I've heard one of these snobs say something to the effect of, "just because it's fast doesn't mean its good". First of all, it doesn't mean that it's NOT good and secondly there are thousands of heavy metal guitarists that are far more talented than players of other styles despite their "heavy" and fast play. Most notable of these players is Dimebag Darrell of the band Pantera.

Dimebag was infamous around his area in his home state of Texas for winning almost all of the local talent competitions and being banned from them because he was just that good. Nobody could even come close to touching him and this was when he was in his mid teenage years. Pantera is undeniably one of the most influential and greatest heavy metal bands of all time and Dime's stage presence and skill is unmatched throughout the metal community.

From his instantly recognizable guitar tone to his one of a kind guitar solos, Dimebag has always been a cut ahead and definitely leader of the pack. Virtually every amateur heavy metal guitarist playing today will cite Dimebag Darrell as an influence and for good reason. Not only was he very talented but, his playing was just flat out fun to listen to. From the sheer aggression and crunch of songs like "Slaughtered" and "Rise" to the beautiful, unforgettable guitar solos from "Floods" and "Cemetery Gates" Dime was absolutely one of the best and most important heavy metal guitarists of all time.