I've included two soloists from each band incase some people feel that the solos from other members of the band or former members were of greater stature. My opinion on this is that the two bands were the best of their time in the fact that they both are very inspiring and influential, but the solos from each band couldnt be more different. Slayers solos were more focused on the speed and darker sound of the solos. While Metallica wanted solos that were going to focus more on the whole sound of the piece and would be more towards the styles of classical musicians such as Bach or Mozart. What I mean by that is that Metallica wanted their solos to be understood and heard clearly through and through. Not to say anything bad about Slayer but the fact that Metallicas solos are far more clear just gives me this impression. So, what are your thoughts on this? Who had the best solos, Slayer or Metallica?

I wish I could vote for more than one...

I'm stuck between Kerry King and Kirk Hammet.

My vote goes definitely for Kirk. They are all excellent guitarrists and have done great solos, but I really love Kirk's solos in songs like One, Master of Puppets, Fight fire with fire, For whom the bell tolls, and more.

Dave Mustaine in metallica? was he in metallica for long?

I'd have to go with Kirk. His solos were so crazy and epic at the sametime, listen to master of puppets, ride the lightining,fade to black and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Dave Mustaine? weird addition to this poll, but I'll take it. as much as I dislike Metalica, Slayer solos I find generally pretty weak. So Dave Mustaine lol....(even though he wasnt in any Metalica recordings). Once again, im not aloud to vote.

Written by Guest on 22.03.2007 at 05:30

I'd have to go with Kirk. His solos were so crazy and epic at the sametime, listen to master of puppets, ride the lightining,fade to black and you'll see what I'm talking about.

If I remember correctly, Dave Mustaine wrote Ride the Lightning...

Written by Dangerboner on 22.03.2007 at 05:41

Written by Guest on 22.03.2007 at 05:30

I'd have to go with Kirk. His solos were so crazy and epic at the sametime, listen to master of puppets, ride the lightining,fade to black and you'll see what I'm talking about.

If I remember correctly, Dave Mustaine wrote Ride the Lightning...

yes true and on the record Kirk plays the solo....

What i've heard of slayer's solos is that they all sounded crappy. Hammet is no favourite of mine but I'll go for him here.

I've never liked Kirk's lead work. In fact, I don't consider him a very good lead guitarist at all. Dave Mustaine was in Metallica for a very short period of time too, so I can't really judge too much his work in Metallica. I mean, he did write a lot of the stuff for Kill 'em All, however it was Kirk playing it. So therefore, my options lie with Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman. I'll have to say Jeff though, for rather the same reasons posted above (more melodic). I would have to say they are pretty equal in my mind, but Jeff has a slight edge over Kerry.

Kirk Hammet
His solos are just fantastic!
slayers solo's are often to chaotic

So, its between Hammet and King? I personally thought it would have been Hanneman and King even short in the polling... Oh well.

Ha! Ive Bumped Jeff back up into the Game!

Jeff Hanneman is possibly one of my Favourite guitarists. His Lead work, as pointed out earlier, is much more creative than Kings. But is still really brutal fucked up.
Kirks solo's are usually (Not always) Just Penatonic Wankery, the same with mustaine.

Jeff is an Evil Sonbitch on guitar.

King just stands in front and takes the Credit.

Kirk, no doubt for my own, his solos in general and guitar in particular are all awesome

Kirk. Because Slayer solos are too chaotic, like mathiosso said. Besides I don't like Slayer much.

Okay, so Slayer solos are too chaotic. I agree with that, but the level of difficulty in Slayer solos are of higher degree. Metallica solos are mostly hammer ons and offs... Along side with mostly being high pitched and too nice sounding... I love Metallica solos but to me its just like they focus more on how to get every sound into a solo. Slayer just plays and doesnt care if you hear it, as long as its there its there and if you dont hear it oh well. Thats just how I feel...

Kirk for me as well. Specially in Metallica's first 4 albums.

I really can't choose between Hannemann and King... but whoa! For me there really is no doubt, no doubt at all which one of these bands that has the best solos: Of course it's Slayer! Metallica is the band with the largest place in my heart, but really... they never played any outstanding solos. There is a few I really like, I consider the Ride the Lightning solo to be one of the best of all time, but that's like it! No, I actually consider Metallica to play real dull solos.
Slayer though... OH MY GOD! Without doubt one of the Gods of Guitar Solos, I mean... listen to the whole fucking Reign in Blood album (except Piece by Piece, it doesn't have any solos), the solos in Raining Blood or Angel of Death. And what about Evil Has No Boundaries from Show No Mercy? That's like... perfection!

Im going for Kirk. He does a great job in the solos department, he wrote some beautiful things.

i dunno they all kick ass

Definitely Kirk. Although Kerry is a great musician, Kirk's masterpieces simply can't get out of my heart

Written by Guest on 22.03.2007 at 18:09

So, its between Hammet and King?

Nah, if you look at the posts most of them think Kirk is better. And for good reason. He is a much better guitarist and his solos are also better in my opinion. It sound like Kerry just goes in studio and starts to randomly shred till something comes out that actually fits the song. Kirk's solos are more thought out and express more feeling in my opinion.

If you ask me King is nowhere near Hammet's league.

I pick kirk too as a guy growing older with kerry king's broken detoned solos

Jeff got my vote, I hate all of theirs solos but I hate Jeff Hanneman's less than other so it was easy to deside, explanation?...hmmm. I don't know, metallica have some good solos but they are usually boring, to me, and Slayer have small minded solos, fast and furious but without any sence. Now I probably pissed half of the metalstorm but what a hell...

Seems like there's no love for poor old Dave, who I've chosen to vote for, since I can't really enjoy Jeff's, Kerry's or Kirk's solos in the named bands, to the same degree, hence also the reason for my greater appreciation for Dave's work in Megadeth, also. Also leads me to question how good Metaliica might have been if they had kept Dave in the band...

This is an extremely simple one...

Dave Mustaine of course, his guitarplaying influenced both Kerry's, Kirk's heavily. The bets solos on the first coupld of Metallica albums were written by Dave Mustaine. Kirk is soooooooooooooooo overrated as a solo guitar player it is unbelievable, all he does is use his wah wah pedal for non-original and boring solos Dave's solos are the most innovative and creative solos in thrash metal ever.

Written by APOHAKC on 04.04.2007 at 11:08

Jeff got my vote, I hate all of theirs solos but I hate Jeff Hanneman's less than other so it was easy to deside, explanation?...hmmm. I don't know, metallica have some good solos but they are usually boring, to me, and Slayer have small minded solos, fast and furious but without any sence. Now I probably pissed half of the metalstorm but what a hell...

God, I quoted myself again...
Anyway, I want to change my opinion, I never do that but I didn't looked good on the poll, I thought it is James instead of Dave. Dave is my definetely number one, if I have to choose from these guys, offcause.
His solos are brilliant, but only in Megadeth, I like his Metallica solos, but they are really nothing special, fast and sharp solos. Again as Marcel said I think that Kirk is really over rated. I remember his solo preformances last time I saw Metallica alive and it was only bending and releaseing, pre releasing of string with much wah wah....

Written by Remus on 04.04.2007 at 00:51

Written by Guest on 22.03.2007 at 18:09

So, its between Hammet and King?

Nah, if you look at the posts most of them think Kirk is better. And for good reason. He is a much better guitarist and his solos are also better in my opinion. It sound like Kerry just goes in studio and starts to randomly shred till something comes out that actually fits the song. Kirk's solos are more thought out and express more feeling in my opinion.

If you ask me King is nowhere near Hammet's league.

I know what you mean totally. Even though I really dislike Metallica's The $5.98 E.P.: Garage Days Re-Revisited and anything after The Black Album, I really do think that Hammet is one of the best soloists... They've gotten too far away from being metal anyhow. They're basically just rock now...

Metallica's solos are quite good I must say but Slayer's solos from both Jeff Hanneman and Kerry King blow my mind!
So Slayer's solos are the best ...

Kirks solos all the way from these musicians (kill em all-and justice for all era). Pretty much all the slayer solos sounds quite same (read: boring) to me, expect a few exceptions. Cant help it :I