I can think of quite a few awesome ones, but I'm curious about what you guys might say. I've been slacking off in practicing my bass and could use some inspiration.
I like Gojira's Jean-Michel Labadie because he's awesome live.
He is. Also gotta give him props for being able to pull off short hair in a band like that.
Dan Briggs from Between the Buried and Me
and Arif Mirabdolbaghi from Protest the Hero are two of my fovorites.
chavo from soad, he's awesome
Sgt. Floyd Pepper
Alex Webster from Cannibal Corpse. Hands down one of the best in metal.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K3tTp7tgAbI
William Murderface Murderface Murderface.
If you mean Brian Beller, then I agree :)
I like Dominic "Forest" Lapointe a lot.
I think my favorite though would probably have to go to Steve DiGiorgio, but I'd have to think about it a little bit more.
Well, I know Primus is not 100% metal, but Les Claypool.
Taking him out of the mix, Alex Webster hands down. Though I do like Fieldy (Reginald Arvizuc) from Korn a fair bit.
Ryan Martinie
from MUDVAYNE!!!!
dudes got skills
John Myung from Dream Theater.
appolyon from immortal
Probably Fréderic Leclercq from DragonForce mainly because he is French and I am French.
My personal influences would be David Ellefson (Megadeth), Steve Harris (Iron Maiden) and Justin Chancellor (Tool). None of them are overly Technical but I always enjoy playing their lines.
My favourate would have to be this dude from youtube, his channel is called CannibalisticZombie but his name is AJ. He's pretty good he cover quite a lot of songs, all of them from ear I'm pretty sure as well. He's also in a couple of bands.
^This guy
Alex Webster's work on Blotted Science
Steve DiGiorgio's Death/Control Denied work
Dominic Lapointe in Quo Vadis (as DiGiorgio's replacement)
Jeroen Paul Thessling of Obscura
Not really a fav here, everyone has their own different approach and in their own way they all sound brilliant.
Dominic "Forest" Lapointe has some sick playing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrwWBFp91U0