10 Most Unique Guitarist In Alternative Rock Music

7. Tom Morello - Rage Against The Machine

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Admittedly Tom Morello hasn't done much of note since his work with the Chris Cornell fronted supergroup, Audioslave. Devotees of the guy might be screaming about his collaborations with Bruce Springsteen in the 2010s, or his political-folk alter ego, The Nightwatchman, but there's no denying that his body of work with Rage Against the Machine is his best.

Before nu metal gave rap-rock a band name, Rage Against the Machine were lighting a fire under the youth, with their unique blend of hip hop and punk rock. Zack de la Rocha spat scathing, politicised lyrics, with such ferocity, he would have had an impact, even without a backing band.

But it was the presents of Morello's aggressive punk riffs, coupled with bouncing rhythms, that elevated his message. The power and aggression of rock was fused with the groove and political drive of hip hop. Morrello reinvented the game when it came to the guitar, he used effects and pedals unlike any before, all but converting his fretboard into a soundboard of police sirens, chopper sounds and dive bombs. But gimmicks aside, he played with such impassioned energy, it's impossible not to start a mosh whenever you hear him.

 
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