10 Most Underrated Guitarists In Hard Rock

Slipknot have always been a band of outsiders. Ever since they got the ball rolling with their thunderous debut back in 1999, these 9 masked men were always willing to go against the grain and come up with something entirely new. Though Corey Taylor really is the main draw of Slipknot, every other member behind him is equally as important.

Most of the leads on Slipknot albums show Mick Thomson taking his guitar to Hell, but Jim Root has a lot more power than most people would like to admit. As the more rhythmic player, Root tends to get sidestepped as just a guy chugging away on bar chords, but things take an interesting turn when he comes up to solo.

In interviews, Root still considers himself a devotee of bands like the Beatles and Led Zeppelin, whose influence can be heard in his leads. While a song like "Psychosocial" has Thomson and Root trading off, you can immediately tell when Root's part comes in, with notes that have a more melodic texture than straight shredding all the way through.

Even his work with Stone Sour over the years provided Root with an alternative to flex his more hard rock chops. Melody might not really be the most ideal fit for Slipknot, but in Jim Root, that odd musical pairing somehow finds a way to work out.