Guitar Greats Part II
February 26, 2007 by Jo Minor
James Hetfield (Metallica)
James Hetfield can be credited for so many things - for co-founding the one-time Kings of Heavy Metal Metallica, for writing some of the best heavy metal songs and for bringing a thrash metal band into the mainstream from the depths of the underground music scene.
Hetfield IS Metallica, pure and simple. He was the frontman, vocalist, rhythm guitarist, songwriter, lyricist and face of the band in all of their years - almost 25 years, to be exact - in business.
Through all the hardships and tribulations the band went through in all their years, Hetfield managed to keep the band in check for quite some time - until his alcohol problems got the better of him. This, and some of the other problems plaguing the band, is captured in the documentary Some Kind Of Monster - fans should definitely watch this.
He wasn’t the same after rehab, but James Hetfield will always be remembered for almost single-handedly crafting the band’s earlier metal masterpieces: Kill ‘Em All, Ride The Lightning, Master Of Puppets and …And Justice For All - all of which have contributed to over 120 million copies of Metallica albums sold worldwide.
Currently working on the band’s follow-up to the dismal St. Anger, the future is rather bleak for this bunch of aging rockers but credits due to Hetfield for working his ass off even after making his millions more than a decade ago.
Jeff Hanneman (Slayer)
Jeff Hanneman is one of the guitarists and main songwriter of the great American thrash metal band Slayer.
Hanneman has been the driving force of the band in many different aspects - usually by writing, unaided, the greatest tunes the band has ever had in their vast arsenal off guitar riffs and killer thrash pieces. Among his achievements: writing the gigantic Angel Of Death (and some other tracks) from the band’s benchmark album Reign In Blood at the tender age of eighteen, and writing the whole of the classic South Of Heaven album without the help of the Slayer’s other members.
Hanneman has been writing and performing for Slayer for as long as the band has been in existence, and continues to be an integral part of the songwriting process in the band - although the band’s last two albums (God Hates Us All and Christ Illusion) have been largely written by guitarist Kerry King.
Credit can be given to Hanneman for forging and spearheading the success of Slayer: ultimately the biggest - and arguably, the best - extreme metal band of all time.
Dimebag Darrell (Pantera)
Darrell Lance Abbott - known as Diamond Darrell earlier in his career with heavy metal band Pantera, was later remembered fondly as Dimebag Darrell. Dimebag was brutally killed, on stage, by a deranged fan who suffered from mental problems in December 2004.
News of his tragic demise shook the music world, and his peers and fans suffered the loss of a charismatic and down to earth musician - who inspired many guitarists with his trademark guitar riffs and flawless shredding.
Dimebag’s thick, crunchy guitar sound was complemented by his respectable knowledge of music theory, but his best skill lied in writing memorable guitar parts that helped Pantera scale never seen before heights. Dimebag, alongside brother Vinnie Paul on drums and the formidable Rex Brown on bass guitar worked in tandem to create the skull-crushing sound of Pantera.
There will never be a guitarist like Dimebag, who never failed to win the hearts of the millions of Pantera fans worldwide when he was alive - and will never be forgotten by everyone inspired by the man. Rest in peace, Dime.
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