OK, ranking a modern day metal lead player on style, feel, speed, technicality, phrasing... Who would you choose?

My choice is Michael from Symphony X, while I dislike the band, I am seriously stunned by this guy's playing, no one can match his feeling and power on a guitar, very good player!

Who would you choose?

i wouldnt say michael romeo as 'todays' but yeah hes excellent, Symphony X are an amazing band!, jeff loomis would be that for me. nevermore are awesome and his solo album is brill aswell.

I still think Paul Gilbert is the man!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ES1RypBww_g

This is one of my favourite video's, the solo in the middle is fantastico!

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Rusty Cooley is pretty ridiculous as well as far as all out shredding goes!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOcA2oW9 ... re=related

I wish I could do that shit, ha ha.

Faraz and Donny, My Guitar Heros

Alex Skolnick, Alex SKolnick, Alex Skolnick, Alex Skolnick, Alex Skolnick, and Chuck Norris.

As Tom said, yeah fatty from Symphony x is pretty cool, although i cant get into the music, basically coz the vocals are so gay but i did buy The Odessey a few years back ( the best bit is the solo in the very last song, its a bit dime/mustaine) and although its technically amazing the songs are boring which is what i find with these amazing shredders, its not all about the solo, you gotta be well rounded, malmsteen and vai and all those posers cant really write a good tune, they just right songs to fit a fat wank over!

My Vote for what it's worth
At the risk of sounding a bum boy
Evile Ol
Fast, but great chops/licks. You gotta see that there's no1 who does as catchy solos.

Like Bongwater said - no other shredders can write a decent tune, Paul Gilbert live at Rios was as gay as a Will and Grace/ Sex in the city back to back double bill, whilst being watched through a cottaging hole

I don't listen to a great deal of Modern metal atm, but Faraz has a fair point with Paul GIlbert. I've got a few lick lesson type things featuring him and his playing is very very impressive.

my favourites have all been mentioned already, huge fan of michael romeo. been listening to jeff loomis' solo album which is interesting and i just learn so much from paul gilbert. i think my fav and best though is skolnik just because of the jazz/blues touch he adds to his playing, i just wish he wouldn't pinch so frikkin much time, he's worse than zakk for that!!!

Lies. No one on earth is worse than Zakk wylde when it comes to pinched harmonics.

hard to believe i know, but watch some of alex' live solo's now, every single note is nearly a pinch, no lies

He was amazing when I saw him in Febuary, bloody flawless.

Theres nothing wrong with throwing in pinched harmonics in solos, but only if you do them correctly - which Skolnick does. He doesn't do a Zakk and put them everywhere where they sound shit and don't fit.

I used to love pinch harmonics but Zakk Wylde has fucking stole them all...
Cunt.

Exactly. To make matters fucking worse, he takes a Gibson Les Paul - reknowned for their tone - and replaces the pickups with EMGs, which are the worst damn things anyone ever dreat up.

Lets face it, Zakk Wylde needs a swift kick in the fucking bollocks.

i watched testament at islington academy a while back, and they were amazin, and alex's solo were amazing, but honestly he was pinching a fuckin lot!! your right that pinches sound great at the right time, but good ol alex was pinching a good fair bit