Genres · 18 solos
The 18 Best Progressive Metal Guitar Solos
Progressive metal mixes heavy riffs with odd time signatures and long-form writing, and its guitarists are some of the most technical in rock. This list covers the genre from Queensrÿche and Dream Theater to Opeth, Mastodon, Periphery and Plini, and every video starts right at the solo.
- 1Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1992
- 2Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1992
- 3Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1999
- 4Symphony X · solo by Michael Romeo · 1997
- 5Opeth · solo by Mikael Åkerfeldt & Fredrik Åkesson · 2008
- 6Mastodon · solo by Brent Hinds · 2009
- 7Queensrÿche · solo by Chris DeGarmo & Michael Wilton · 1988
- 8Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 1999
- 9Death · solo by Chuck Schuldiner · 1995
- 10Tool · solo by Adam Jones · 2006
- 11John Petrucci · solo by John Petrucci · 2005
- 12Mastodon · solo by Brent Hinds · 2009
- 13Periphery · solo by Misha Mansoor · 2012
- 14Animals as Leaders · solo by Tosin Abasi · 2009
- 15Opeth · solo by Mikael Åkerfeldt & Peter Lindgren · 2001
- 16Plini · solo by Plini · 2016
- 17Gojira · solo by Joe Duplantier · 2016
- 18Dream Theater · solo by John Petrucci · 2005
Quick answers
What is the best progressive metal guitar solo?
John Petrucci's solo on Dream Theater's "Under a Glass Moon" (1992). It is the highest-ranked song on this list in the GreatestSolos Consensus rankings, at number 64.
Which Tool song has a talk box guitar solo?
"Jambi" (2006), on which Adam Jones plays his solo through a talk box.
How many Dream Theater songs are on this list?
Five: "Under a Glass Moon", "Metropolis—Part I", "The Spirit Carries On", "The Dance of Eternity" and "Octavarium", all with John Petrucci on guitar. His solo track "Glasgow Kiss" (2005) is also included.