Avoid low end Ibanez and Jackson, they are largely problematic guitars, their low end models do not compete in terms of quality.
Schecter makes good guitars, but their entry level starts around $300 retail price (MSRP is 450 or so), and while they are solid guitars in my experience, they're nothing special at that price range. Their mid range offerings such as the Hellraisers are pretty awesome, if the setup is what you are looking for, they are great for the price.
ESP builds solid guitars, they enjoy a great reputation, and they build a lot of great guitars up through professional level (though I have heard that the extent of their customs is limited). A lot of ESPs are set up with locking nuts, which is fine with most players, but I don't use Floyds, and I always rip up my hand on a locking nut. If you like the setup of an ESP, it is most likely a good guitar for you.
Epiphone and Squier build cheap guitars for people who don't know what to look for in a good guitar other than a name. If you are looking to spend $100 on a guitar, go for something used with a solid neck and bridge with damaged paint, it won't look nice, but at least it'll play decently.
Dean guitars, in my opinion and experience, are the biggest pieces of shit out there. A lot of them play like skateboards with strings, even the high end ones. Every one of the extraordinarily overpriced Dimebag models that I have played (around 15 different models) is priced at around four times what it is worth, and while some of them are priced higher than a guitar from Dean's custom shop, they are of much lower quality. Strangely enough, the one Dean model that I have picked up several times out of interest and has consistently played well as a floor model is the $99 one that chain stores stock - it's nothing special, but it plays better than every other $99 guitar I have played.
BC Rich guitars can go either way. I'm a huge enthusiast, but since HHI took over, they have made a lot of junk. Pretty much every Warlock below the NJ line is just a Bronze series with a different paint/decal, or a licensed Floyd, or a new headstock/inlays, and the prices vary from $150 to $400. The NJ models are good guitars, and the craftsmanship is solid. I don't recommend buying a BC Rich unless you have someone familiar with them to point you to the good models: the Masterpiece Mockingbird is a great guitar for $399. The Bronze series are very inconsistent - some play like POS starter guitars, some play exceptionally well for the price. If you buy a Bronze series, you will need to replace the cavity electronics within a year or two, I replaced both pots, the switch, and the jack, as well as shielding the cavity, all for around $30 using quality parts.
Although I hear a lot of bad things about the Bronze series, I have one and it is really fucking solid. I abuse the hell out of it, I occasionally hit people with it (back end only), and I carry it around in a $5 bass bag because it would cost as much as I paid for the guitar to get a proper case, and it has held up well for years. The neck on it seems to be one in 100-1000+, it plays better than my NJ Ironbird, and almost as well as a lot of the American handmades, and I have had a dozen people play it alongside their ESPs, Schecters, and other higher end guitars, and it plays well.
Still, I advise against most BC Rich models, the bridge on the Bronze series is a pain in the ass to get used to. The Masterpiece Mockingbird is solid if you want a cool looking guitar for playing metal, the pickups are decent, it has big inlays, and it is a pretty nice guitar for the price.