You know the riffs, but for this edition of Loudwire’s Gear Factor we have some of your favorite guitarists playing the metal riffs that inspired them.
For instance, Dream Theater‘s John Petrucci speaks to what an Iron Maiden fan he was growing up and how instrumental “The Number of the Beast” was to his playing.
“I didn’t realize how big of a signature vibrato was for guitar players and I learned how to do it by slowing down records,” revealed the guitarist, explaining that by doing so he realized how essential bends were to playing and it gave him a light bulb moment.
Who else chimed in with some of their favorite metal riffs? Bring Me the Horizon‘s Lee Malia, Steel Panther‘s Satchel, John 5, Ghost‘s Tobias Forge, Alter Bridge‘s Myles Kennedy, High on Fire‘s Matt Pike, Asking Alexandria‘s Ben Bruce, Bad Wolves‘ Doc Coyle and YouTube sensation Mike the Metal Snob all have their turns.
READ MORE: 20 Greatest Metal Riffs of All-Time
What were their picks? We’ve got some Black Sabbath, Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Metallica, Pantera and Megadeth riffs on tap, but if you want to see who is playing what, check out the Gear Factor compilation below.
10 Iconic Metal Riffs Played By 10 Guitarists You Know
50 Best Metal Album Openers of the 1980s (Ranked)
The most undeniable tracks to open ’80s metal albums!
Gallery Credit: Joe DiVita, Jordan Blum