@Parlay44
Are you learning to play?
Is there a type of metal or hard rock sound you are looking for?
Get a guitar with fixed bridge unless you really must have a wammy bar to play stuff from guitarist such as Dimebag Darrell (Pantera) etc. A guitar with fixed bridge is more likely to have better tone and sustain and be easier to tune instead of a guitar with floating bridge. If you must get a guitar with a floating bridge, get one equipped with an original low profile floyd rose or a high end Ibanez low profile edge. It's been a while since I was shopping for a guitar with floating bridge but those two were the most stable & reliable I found. Don't get a guitar with a cheap floating bridge, you will regret later.
Ibanez guitars are usually very playable. My Ibanez RG 7620 seven strings is real sweet.
I have been looking at the
Ibanez RG8 which is an inexpensive 8 string ($400) and the
Agile 8 strings (also around $400). I haven't played those two yet but I have seen some positive reviews (for the price). The Agile is nicer looking but the Ibanez can be tried at the store. Mail order guitars can be good but is best to play the guitar before you buy.
Guitars of the same model can sound and feel different. It's best to bring a guitarist friend to the store when you buy your first guitar. Your friend can look at the quality of the fretboard and try all the frets. You should also play and compare the guitars to see which one sounds and feels better.
Do you have a guitar amp? One option is to get a cheaper guitar (low end Ibanez RG or other used instrument) and buy an inexpensive tube amp (used bugera combo - 6262 or 333xl) and some pedals (tuner and tube screamer) with the rest of the money. or you can buy a more expensive guitar if you are going to have more $$ for the amp soon.
Lately I have been using digital VST amps for practice. The Lepou VSTs sound pretty good and are free but you will need a low latency sound card with instrument input. Assuming you already have a decent computer, a sound card is much cheaper then a real amp but you have to know a lot more to get a good tone. VSTs can be good while you save $$ for a real tube amp.
Strandbergs are my favorite expensive sweet eye candy guitars.
I agree with Spader, the first guitar should be comfortable, easy to play and operate.