Solace MUD Official Forum

They're called dragonforce, and they're in the genre of insanely fast power metal (that's how I classify them). The guitarists Herman and Sam are the highlights, but the whole band is really good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3VUBIdBaOU&search=dragonforce

I'm a guitar player myself, so maybe that's why I appreciate this stuff so much. Obviously cheesy, but amazing.

{updated with higher quality link}

Well, the skill of guitarists is actually lost in that heap of hard sound. It much resembles Children of Bodom and stuff.

And I am way more inspired by Satriani's videos. Say, Satch Boogie :)

Well how long did you watch the video for? There is a one minute section at 3:20 where they have a guitar duel, you can hear EVERYTHING perfectly clear and there are mini windows that show closeups of the guitar work. Some radically wild ideas applied here with flawless efficiency.

I love Satch's work, some Vai, Malmsteen of course... but most of the stuff I like more than anything is by amateurs or barely known professionals. Have you checked out the site www.guitarwar.com? It's right up my ally because the people are really into prog/metal (with the occasional bluesy or accoustic track). I like all styles of music, but I'd have to say I have the most passion for technical and emotive compositions.

Prop, if you like guitargods, maybe you should check the world of some really good guitar players, like Chuck Shuldiner (rip), or Snake from Voivod (rip, again), or try listening to bands Mekong Delta, Cynic, James Murphy... Btw. have you ever heard Steve D'Giorgio playing the fretless bass? Now, that is AWESOME! ;)

The best is without any doubt Steve Ray Voughn, there's no one that can play like him. And if you are up for a jazzistic experience Stanley Jordan is something completely different of anything you ever heard, and he can play two guitars at the same time, is amazing.

SRV is pretty good, but I'm not sure what criteria you're using to determine that he's "the best". I personally find most blues to be repetive and overly simplistic (though I respect it as the roots of nearly all popular music), but I do like a lot of SRV songs. Lenny and Rude Mood are some killer tracks and the guy definitely has some blues chops.
I also like some more experimental bands like the mars volta or dillinger escape plan where they are constantly changing the timings and fusing sounds from all genre of music into one. DEP has nearly all screaming in their vocals which throws a lot of people off, but their music gives me all kinds of ideas.

Check out Neurosis, guys...

Mark Knopfler (Dire Straits) still stuns me with his tunes...