Greatest at an instrument is not something I believe in, as far as music appreciation goes, there's so many ways to play any given instrument that one can only be "greatest at playing the instrument the way they want to play it", I don't expect or want Derek Bailey to also be able to play Cannibal Corpse songs, and I don't expect the guys in Cannibal Corpse to be able to play free improv well.
So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let me sell you on Terrance Hobbs. He's far from the showiest guitarist, but as far as style, clean picking, and sheer song writing chops, I'm a huge fan. He (and Mike Smith on drums) effectively invented both modern technical death metal and slam metal in 1990 when Suffocation as we know them today really got started. His song writing is where he shines and many of the bands that copy his style only bother to copy his rhythms and not the hooks, but he's got both rhythms that turn a crowd into wild mosh pit, he's also great at melody, structure, and soloing.
for example, here in Liege of Inveracity, we get both the intricate fast technical melodic bit that starts around 1 minute in, which leads into a mid paced part that hints at the climactic mosh part, then a break down, into a related-but-different fast melodic bit, into solo... everything is built around engaging the listener, song first, but packed with details for people actively listening to the notes.. and then at 2:50 we get the part that launched a thousand pits. (Pardon the production, in 1991 people didn't know how to record Death Metal yet.)
and here's a more recent video from decades later that show he's still got it.
Sure, there are flashier guitar players playing stuff that's absurdly difficult, but Hobbs deserves credit for catalyzing the switch from Thrash to Death metal for technical players in the first place. (sure, death metal starts with Possessed and Mantas/Death in 1984, but even Death isn't playing in a truly technical style until 91... and it's Suffo that more bands took cues from long term.)
So, with that disclaimer out of the way, let me sell you on Terrance Hobbs. He's far from the showiest guitarist, but as far as style, clean picking, and sheer song writing chops, I'm a huge fan. He (and Mike Smith on drums) effectively invented both modern technical death metal and slam metal in 1990 when Suffocation as we know them today really got started. His song writing is where he shines and many of the bands that copy his style only bother to copy his rhythms and not the hooks, but he's got both rhythms that turn a crowd into wild mosh pit, he's also great at melody, structure, and soloing.
for example, here in Liege of Inveracity, we get both the intricate fast technical melodic bit that starts around 1 minute in, which leads into a mid paced part that hints at the climactic mosh part, then a break down, into a related-but-different fast melodic bit, into solo... everything is built around engaging the listener, song first, but packed with details for people actively listening to the notes.. and then at 2:50 we get the part that launched a thousand pits. (Pardon the production, in 1991 people didn't know how to record Death Metal yet.)
and here's a more recent video from decades later that show he's still got it.
Sure, there are flashier guitar players playing stuff that's absurdly difficult, but Hobbs deserves credit for catalyzing the switch from Thrash to Death metal for technical players in the first place. (sure, death metal starts with Possessed and Mantas/Death in 1984, but even Death isn't playing in a truly technical style until 91... and it's Suffo that more bands took cues from long term.)
