A question rarely asked: who are the Big 4 of Metal Drummers? How would we grade each players for this question – would it be by influence, musicality, technique, stage presence, or the player’s role in the band? Who would make the cut, and who would fall by the wayside?
For me, the answer lies somewhere in the brains of actual musicians. So we checked in with a bunch of bands, a few of which possess some of our favorite modern drummers: Magrudergrind, Baptists, Candiria, Gorguts, Exodus, and more. Check out their answers below:
Mike Gignac / February 29, 2016 12:16 pm
gene hoglan, richard christy, hannes grossman, george kolias
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JavierCL / February 29, 2016 12:34 pm
you misspelled DAVE LOMBARDO
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K_Aus_ / February 29, 2016 12:24 pm
Chris Adler or gtfo
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James Andrew Lee / February 29, 2016 12:39 pm
Not one mention of Brann Dailor. For shame. Brann And Ben Koller are the best drummers in heavy music today. There are faster dudes in the death/grind world, but nobody rips a kit like those two guys.
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Shamus McGangsta / February 29, 2016 3:03 pm
Some 13 year old is gonna come on here and say Jimmy Sullivan, be aware of this
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Megadead / February 29, 2016 3:54 pm
Victor Valera; Paul Bostaph; Pete Webber; Max Duhamel.
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jay / February 29, 2016 4:27 pm
Drummer of Decrepit Birth is nasty
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Carter Mckinney / February 29, 2016 5:34 pm
Mike Portney, Pete Webber, Bobby Jarzombek , Mark Zonder
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AxedCrown / February 29, 2016 7:45 pm
Danny Carey, Dave Lombardo, Gene Hoglan, Ben Koller
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Aaron Martin / February 29, 2016 10:34 pm
John Bonham, Mike Portnoy, Neil Peart, Dave Grohl
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Steve Frank / February 29, 2016 10:41 pm
Really? No Charlie Benante? OK, Charlie, George Kollias, Dave Culross, and John Longstreth.
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resistor / February 29, 2016 11:26 pm
Dave lombardo, Mario Duplantier, Gene Hoglan, Charlie Benante
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NightRider / March 1, 2016 1:23 am
Dave Lombardo
Gene Hoglan
Vitek Kieltyka
Paul Bostaph
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Bretton Melanson / March 1, 2016 3:03 am
not enough Flo Mounier
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Bloodbath / March 1, 2016 3:35 am
Chris Adler!
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brucewayne / March 1, 2016 4:11 am
Steve Shelton (Confessor)
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FatoldBaron / March 1, 2016 5:32 am
fuck speed i want momentum and Creativity
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Symbolic / March 1, 2016 8:00 am
Gene Hoglan
Dave Lombardo
Mike Portnoy
Hannes Grossmann
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Christian Wiederwald / March 22, 2016 9:38 am
Thomas Lang
Marco Minnemann
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Christian Wiederwald / March 22, 2016 9:39 am
and Gavin Harrison during his Porcupine Stint. Not the most metal, but a drummer with an extremely unique style
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Buck Chilli / March 1, 2016 4:41 pm
John Bonham, Bill Ward, Dave Lombardo, Mike Portnoy
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Christian Wiederwald / March 22, 2016 9:40 am
Mickey Dee – sure, a pure power drummer. But he turned Motörhead around after Mr. Taylor´s Death and gave them the punch that kept them going for a long time
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