This book-writing thing isn’t all about wandering down the beach dreaming up sonnets and drinking absinthe in a garret in Paris, y’know. Sometimes your average author has to account for him/herself and actually stand by the words they’ve written, which has been especially tough for me lately thanks to the content of my new book, The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists.

Dreaming up the list of 100 best axemen was tough. Putting them in order was really tough. And defending those choices against an internet full of haters calling me an ‘ass hat’ and ‘a Limey asshole’ has been toughest of all, if also rather amusing at times. It’s what I expected, though: making lists and publishing them in books is a guaranteed way to annoy people – that is, apart from those among the readership who understand what I’m shooting for: a celebration of the best riffologists ever, and not just the same tired old list which is trotted out every couple of years either.

Just to keep things lively, here’s a slightly different spin on the perennial issue of who’s the best metal axe-wielder on the planet, an issue which I know has troubled you in the past. Exclusively for The Quietus, here’s a bunch of guitarists who appear in the book – but rated rather differently than for their mere technical expertise. Ever wondered who the most evil guitarist in metal is? Look no further, ass hats…

"Despatch War Rocket Ass Hat!"

The 100 Greatest Metal Guitarists is out now and can be ordered at Amazon UK.

More info on McIver The Merciless here.

Click the image below to see our gallery of Joel's best rock guitarists:

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