One of the Most Underrated Guitar Solos of All Time Belongs to a 1992 Hit - And It Still Rocks

Great guitar solos rarely go unnoticed. Songs such as Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," Van Halen's "Eruption" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Mr. Crowley" all have guitar solos that demand to be heard. The guitar is just the kind of instrument that takes center stage, and people love to talk about the greatest guitar solos of all time.

But, what about the most underrated guitar solos of all time? Even with an instrument as loud and cutting as the guitar, there are plenty of solid guitar solos that have gotten overlooked over the years.

Think about the best guitarists in the heavy metal genre, and one name that comes to mind is Tony Iommi. His work in Black Sabbath really helped birth the metal genre. He's still a treat to watch live, and he and Black Sabbath proved that last summer during their final show, which also, sadly, turned out to be Ozzy Osbourne's final concert before his death in July.

Now Iommi's guitar solo in 1992's "Master of Insanity" from Black Sabbath has been named one of the most underrated guitar solos of all time by the experts at Guitar World.

"Dehumanizer is one of the most underrated records in metal," Jonathan Horsley of the publication states in his feature about overlooked guitar solos. "Released in 1992, an unfashionable year for Sabbath, this is premium steel, and Master of Reality was one of its strongest tracks. It finds Iommi in ripping form with a solo that is as stately as anything he has ever done."

He adds: "The melody that prefigures the aforementioned ripping is like something off a Marvel movie; how apt, because this is some superhero lead work from metal's first 'Iron Man.'"

When you think about the greatest guitarists in all of heavy metal, Iommi and Sabbath certainly come to mind. Audio Ink Radio has called him one of the "most important figures in heavy metal music," and Guitar World named him the No. 1 best. But "Master of Insanity" isn't usually mentioned. That's what makes this pick so appropriate. Iommi isn't underrated, but his solo in "Master of Insanity" has flown a bit too much under the radar, until now.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jun 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published June 17, 2026 at 7:05 AM.