Greatest metal guitar solo of all time?

[TheCountOfNYC]

Tornado of Souls. Simply magnificent.

[Sacul]

The one on PT's Shesmovedon

[Jaq]

The one on PT's Shesmovedon

Kinda stretching the definition of heavy metal here 

[mike099]

The idea can span over many genres really, melodic rock, AOR, prog etc.

alex lifeson - la villa strangiato

This solo is all about the build up. Starts relatively simple and emotive, then builds up in difficulty until it's basically shredding, then suddenly calms back down... All of this while remaining in 7/8

Some of the earlier live versions of this song are amazing!

[TAC]

Richie Blackmore- Highway Star

[El Barto]

Michael Schenker from the Strangers version of Rock Bottom Lights Out.

Honestly, though, I'd probably go with Buck Dharma and the ETL version of Veteran of the Psychic Wars.

[emtee]

Some really great ones mentioned already. It's hard to try to pick one especially when I own so many albums but Rainbow In The Dark is
the first one that popped into my mind.

[Sycsa]

Tesla - Comin Atcha Live
Iron Maiden - 2 minutes to midnight, Powerslave
Paul Gilbert - Technical Difficulties, The Curse of Castle Dragon

These came to mind, but tbh I prefer many JP solos to any of these. Here's WatchMojo's take on the subject, pretty good video (Fatal Tragedy gets an honorable mention): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvG51Qymr9w

[Sir GuitarCozmo]

Some really great ones mentioned already. It's hard to try to pick one especially when I own so many albums but Rainbow In The Dark is
the first one that popped into my mind.

A positively ripping solo.  Good choice.

[bosk1]

I also want to add Paul Gilbert's solo from the end of "The Door" on Neal Morse's Sola Scriptura to the mix

I came into the thread to post that.  Favorite solo of all time.  Prior to hearing that one, Skolnick's solo on Return To Serenity was my favorite.  Beginning at 3:16 here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bry_6P_1co4 (sorry, I don't know how to make a YouTube video start at a particular timestamp)

[Jaffa]

I also want to add Paul Gilbert's solo from the end of "The Door" on Neal Morse's Sola Scriptura to the mix

I came into the thread to post that.  Favorite solo of all time.  Prior to hearing that one, Skolnick's solo on Return To Serenity was my favorite.  Beginning at 3:16 here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bry_6P_1co4 (sorry, I don't know how to make a YouTube video start at a particular timestamp)

https://youtu.be/bry_6P_1co4?t=3m16s

(Click share.  A small extra window will drop down with buttons for various social media platforms and a generic link for the video itself.  Beneath the link is a little checkbox that says 'Start at:' followed by a time.  Check the box and enter a time, and it will be added to the link.)

And yeah, that's an awesome solo.  Good call.

[TAC]

Michael Schenker from the Strangers version of Rock Bottom Lights Out.

Honestly, though, I'd probably go with Buck Dharma and the ETL version of Veteran of the Psychic Wars.

I almost posted Rock Bottom, Love To Love, and Lights Out. Hell, that whole album is a clinic. Also the deeper tracks from the UFO Schenker era are outstanding, No Heavy Petting in particular.

[ThatOneGuy2112]

As far as traditional heavy metal goes, first ones that came to mind are:

Black Sabbath - War Pigs
Iron Maiden - Phantom of the Opera (the Live After Death version is even better than the already amazing studio version as well)

[Lowdz]

Yngwie' Kree Nakoorie solo. Although I'd been into metal for a while, the solos on the Alkatrazz album was the first time where I stood up and thought wtf have I just heard?

[TAC]

Yngwie' Kree Nakoorie solo. Although I'd been into metal for a while, the solos on the Alkatrazz album was the first time where I stood up and thought wtf have I just heard?

I literally came in to post this:

Don't laugh at me, but Yngwie's solo on Jet To Jet still gives me goosebumps.

[hefdaddy42]

 

[Sacul]

The one on PT's Shesmovedon

Kinda stretching the definition of heavy metal here 

Forgot about the metal thing . I guess Destrage's Are You Kidding Me? No. would be up there. It just evolves, and as it goes through so many styles, it ends up with something really different.

[TempusVox]

There are several for me:
Working Man - Alex
Mr. Crowley - Rhoads
Eruption - EVH
Painkiller -  Tipton /Downing
Stargazer -  Blackmore
War Pigs -  Iommi
No More Tears -Wylde
And while not Metal by my definition, I have to toss JP's solo on Lines In The Sand into the mix.

[PowerSlave]

Michael Schenker from the Strangers version of Rock Bottom Lights Out.

Honestly, though, I'd probably go with Buck Dharma and the ETL version of Veteran of the Psychic Wars.

I almost posted Rock Bottom, Love To Love, and Lights Out. Hell, that whole album is a clinic. Also the deeper tracks from the UFO Schenker era are outstanding, No Heavy Petting in particular.

Not trying to side-track the thread, but did you see That Metal Show that was on recently with Michael? They were ranking Shenker era UFO songs/solos and completely ignored the reunion era material.  Some of that stuff is on par with the 70's stuff, and they didn't even give it a passing mention. Shameful...

[wolfking]

Yngwie' Kree Nakoorie solo. Although I'd been into metal for a while, the solos on the Alkatrazz album was the first time where I stood up and thought wtf have I just heard?

I literally came in to post this:

Don't laugh at me, but Yngwie's solo on Jet To Jet still gives me goosebumps.

Yes, Jet to Jet is amazing.  That whole album is filled with just great solos.  Yngwie had plenty in the early days.

One of favs from him actually is a little number from Magnum Opus called The Only One, great AOR style song.

[Magikernandy]

Yngwie' Kree Nakoorie solo. Although I'd been into metal for a while, the solos on the Alkatrazz album was the first time where I stood up and thought wtf have I just heard?

I literally came in to post this:

Don't laugh at me, but Yngwie's solo on Jet To Jet still gives me goosebumps.

Yes, Jet to Jet is amazing.  That whole album is filled with just great solos.  Yngwie had plenty in the early days.

One of favs from him actually is a little number from Magnum Opus called The Only One, great AOR style song.

The whole steeler album is filled with solos that is far beyond what you think a 100 percent selftaught 19 year old can play.

He hardly developed like everyone thought he would do though. Maybe some formal training would be a good idea for Yngwie. 

[bl5150]

And maybe some therapy would be worth booking in advance for whoever tries to teach him .

[Magikernandy]

And maybe some therapy would be worth booking in advance for whoever tries to teach him .

Satriani could possibly handle him at the time, he taught a couple of guitarists that were propably just as hard to handle.   

[bl5150]

When you said "would be a good idea" I thought you meant these days and so I was talking about someone trying to teach the great man now - copious quantities of fookin fury would be unleashed on the poor teacher.

And Satriani gets points off for showing Kirk Hammett what a wah pedal is 

[Kotowboy]

Satch : This is a Wah Pedal, Kirk.

Kirk :  neato !

Satch : but don't use it ALL the time ?

Kirk : Don't what?

Satch : Use it ALL the time.

Kirk : Ok, I Will !

[Zydar]

[Kotowboy]

That's a Lars Ulrich drum solo.

[bl5150]

That's a Lars Ulrich drum solo.

Doesn't look like a Lars kit though.

[Elite]

[Lowdz]

That's the AJFA kit.

[Architeuthis]

A newer one tha comes to mind...Behind the Veil...DT
 When All is Lost..Symphony X
 Freewill..Rush
 Paschendale.. Iron Maiden
 Rock you like a Hurricane.. Scorps
 Return to Serenity.. Testemant
 Even though it's not metal, I have to vive an honorable mention to "Gonna Hitch a Ride"...Boston.

[wolfking]

Yeah, BTV is an amazing one from JP.  The SX is a good one too.

If you're a Romeo fan, you need to check out the solo on Ayreon's Dawn of A Million Souls.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_z4LTWvpOY&feature=player_detailpage#t=277

[The Dark Master]

Not sure if I can pick just one, but here's a few off the top of my head:

Savatage: Gutter Ballet, Edge of Thorns, The Wake of Magellan
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Dark
Dream Theater: Voices, Scarred (Awake was a really good album for John Petrucci!)
Symphony X: Through the Looking Glass (part III)
Ozzy: No More Tears
Crimson Glory: Burning Bridges
Balance of Power: House of Cain
Blue Oyster Cult: The Siege and Investiture of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle at Weisseria
Gamma Ray: Rebellion in Dreamland
Queensryche: Eyes of a Stranger, NM 156
Scorpions: Still Loving You
Star One: Star Child
WASP: The Headless Children
Cirith Ungol: Chaos Rising

[wolfking]

Some good ones there too.  Love the Scarred mention, one of my FP favs too.

Good call on the WASP too.

[jjrock88]

Not sure if I can pick just one, but here's a few off the top of my head:

Savatage: Gutter Ballet, Edge of Thorns, The Wake of Magellan
Trans-Siberian Orchestra: The Dark
Dream Theater: Voices, Scarred (Awake was a really good album for John Petrucci!)
Symphony X: Through the Looking Glass (part III)
Ozzy: No More Tears
Crimson Glory: Burning Bridges
Balance of Power: House of Cain
Blue Oyster Cult: The Siege and Investiture of Baron Von Frankenstein's Castle at Weisseria
Gamma Ray: Rebellion in Dreamland
Queensryche: Eyes of a Stranger, NM 156
Scorpions: Still Loving You
Star One: Star Child
WASP: The Headless Children
Cirith Ungol: Chaos Rising

NM156 is a good call