i agree Iz  mustaine is a fantastic guitar player/writer.   Marino named one of my two favs in metal and named the band of the other one... Dimebag (met him , knew him, have a amp he used to own...yeah) and Alex Skolnick (testament).. you want to hear someone tear up the guitar listen to Alex. he also plays in a fairly well known Jazz band.  knows his music and can freaking play.

now to the thread.. I like some metallica..  I think they have great production and awsome timing skills. expecially Hetfield.. I am amazed at the complicated rhythms he plays while singing, not easy  to do. (Sad But True..try to play his guitar part and sing the chorus together).  Hammets tasty and fits the band very well but in the metal scene he is no where near one of the greats.

Much prefer Nuno Bettencourt to Kirk Hammett in playing style - Bettencourt does the vox too, and is one seriously good guitarist.... but in fairness, I've listened to the latest Metallica album now and it is pretty good stuff.
That said, I'll take Extreme, Iron Maiden, or even Aerosmith over Metallica.  It's just not quite there for me.

Oh, and GuitarWiz... ok so I have heard of them really!!!