Who's your favorite black metal drummer?

[Neff]

Hands down, mine's Frost. He doesn't repeatedly "smash things" like you'd usually hear in some BM bands/songs. That, and he's perfect.

[FatherAlabaster]

Neal Peart. I think Frost is competent, don't get me wrong, but I don't get the praise he's showered with. From those second-wave BM bands, I prefer Hellhammer and Trym, strictly from a drumming standpoint. I haven't been listening to a ton of black metal for a while, but Priest from Massemord really kills it. Black metal in general doesn't have my favorite drumming, though, I tend to prefer more progressive rock-style drummers like Neal Peart (duh), Matt Cameron, Aaron Harris, Brann Daillor (even though I don't like a lot of Mastodon), the guy from Intronaut. There are plenty of drummers who I'm sure are amazing that I don't know about because I don't like the bands they're in...

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Who's your favorite black metal drummer?

Hands down, mine's Frost. He doesn't repeatedly "smash things" like you'd usually hear in some BM bands/songs. That, and he's perfect.

Frost is totally a "smash things" drummer, and that is what he's good at. He's a blasting animal, and it is fucking impressive, but variety is not his strong suit. Hellhammer gets my nod overall for being both a powerhouse, and also being quite varied, taking on other styles of drumming with finesse. However, I love Prosriptor's frantic pummeling, Xytras' atmospheric and pounding simplicity, Reed St. Mark's stylish transitions and trend setting d-beat/double bass mixtures, Kim Ruzz' awesome texture and perfect song flow, even Varg's cymbal heavy and basic atmospheric playing totally helps drive the hypnotic quality of his songs. I would also say that Horgh is underrated, I love his playing on At the Heart of Winter. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[Iceni]

Black metal in general doesn't have my favorite drumming' date=' though,[/quote'] I suspect that's why it's a good question, the genre is known for blast beats but obviously there's more to it. As it stands the one black metal drummer I remember liking is Glenn-David Lind of Drottnar. Still, I'd say for drumming it's tough to beat tech-death.

[RelentlessOblivion]

Proscriptor is a beast. He is perhaps my favourite drummer. Neil Peart probably edges him out because he can be subtle.

[FatherAlabaster]

It is a good question, I guess mostly because it can spark a larger discussion. Black metal can get away with uninspired and mechanical drumming, so it often does. The best of it sounds powerful, energetic, and consistent without losing its organic quality. A great example of that is De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas. I think it's the drums and the motion of the bass on that album that create its feel. I'm still trying to like the vocals, but the energy of the rhythm section is what I find addictive. The vocalist for Massemord plays drums in Furia, and while he's not a "great" drummer, he's very good, totally in control of the things he does, and he plays for the song. That's the key, to me - being tasteful and doing what the song needs. Cato Bekkevold (Red Harvest/Enslaved) and Martin Lopez (Amon Amarth/Opeth) are great at doing that, IMO. I don't get into tech death drumming so much. This may come from having seen too many shitty tech death drummers, and heard too many cleaned-up, sterile recordings. I've seen so many people who can't pull it off that it all sounds fake to me, and even the good stuff doesn't have the depth that I like in the sound quality. That's a personal preference. I understand that it's impressive and aspirational for a lot of musicians.

[FatherAlabaster]

Proscriptor is a beast. He is perhaps my favourite drummer. Neil Peart probably edges him out because he can be subtle.

I love Neal Peart, but mentioning him here was a joke on my part. I know Proscriptor is "legendary", I just never really got into Absu so I never think of him when drum discussions come up. Shocker!

[deathstorm]

Frost. What about nick barker. Or hell hammer. Those guys are good too

[FatherAlabaster]

Yeah, I always liked Nick Barker. Adrian Erlandsson did a good job with COF too, but I don't honestly think of either of them as black metal drummers.

[deathstorm]

Trym from. Emperor. Was pretty good

[RelentlessOblivion]

I love Neal Peart, but mentioning him here was a joke on my part. I know Proscriptor is "legendary", I just never really got into Absu so I never think of him when drum discussions come up. Shocker!

He popped up only because I mentioned the phrase favourite drummer in a broader sense.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Who's your favorite black metal drummer?

I love Neal Peart, but mentioning him here was a joke on my part. I know Proscriptor is "legendary", I just never really got into Absu so I never think of him when drum discussions come up. Shocker!

Have you heard Absu's later, more progressive albums? Might be more up your alley. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[FatherAlabaster]

Have you heard Absu's later, more progressive albums? Might be more up your alley. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

No, I haven't. I'll be sure to check their later stuff out. It's been several years since I listened to any of it, and it might be more to my taste now. Most USBM didn't appeal to me years ago, the main exception being Leviathan, and I didn't keep track of any of it.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Who's your favorite black metal drummer?

No' date=' I haven't. I'll be sure to check their later stuff out. It's been several years since I listened to any of it, and it might be more to my taste now. Most USBM didn't appeal to me years ago, the main exception being Leviathan, and I didn't keep track of any of it.[/quote'] What about Weakling? I would be surprised if they didn't appeal to you, they were pretty forward thinking, and one of the earlier "post-black metal" bands around. I haven't heard the newest Alta of Plagues, but it sounds like at least their early work had some Weakling influence. I would also be surprised if Averse Sefira didn't do anything for you, they're pretty dense and somewhat dissonant black metal from Texas, with some riffs that would probably remind you of Immolation in their churning and unsettling quality. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2

[FatherAlabaster]

I liked the Weakling CD. Haven't gone back to listen to it in a while. I keep meaning to hear Averse Sefira - a professor of mine did an album cover for them. One of many bands I haven't gotten to yet, but they're on the list!

[Neff]

I liked the Weakling CD. Haven't gone back to listen to it in a while. I keep meaning to hear Averse Sefira - a professor of mine did an album cover for them. One of many bands I haven't gotten to yet' date=' but they're on the list![/quote'] It's been quite a while since I heard that CD...

[Neff]

It makes me sad that none of you mentioned Fenriz.

[FatherAlabaster]

I like Darkthrone a lot, but not because I think they're particularly good musicians. I mean, I like Joy Division, but Ian Curtis, let's be fair, he couldn't sing for shit. Fenriz isn't a great drummer by any stretch, and I don't think he's trying to be. He just does what he does.

[Neff]

Darkthrone isn't bad in my opinion.

[FatherAlabaster]

Don't misunderstand me, I don't think they're bad. Liking or disliking their music isn't the same as liking or disliking their musicianship. A lot of good music has been made by people who are fairly mediocre technically; I care more about songwriting. Melody, feel, sound quality, whatever, I'd rather hear something special and unique than something flawlessly executed but boring. Still couldn't say Fenriz is a "great" drummer or a favorite of mine... does that make sense? When I was younger, I sort of automatically thought that the people in the bands I liked the most were the best musicians, more out of loyalty than anything else.

[Neff]

Don't misunderstand me' date=' I don't think they're bad. Liking or disliking their music isn't the same as liking or disliking their musicianship. A lot of good music has been made by people who are fairly mediocre technically; I care more about songwriting. Melody, feel, sound quality, whatever, I'd rather hear something special and unique than something flawlessly executed but boring. Still couldn't say Fenriz is a "great" drummer or a favorite of mine... does that make sense? When I was younger, I sort of automatically thought that the people in the bands I liked the most were the best musicians, more out of loyalty than anything else.[/quote'] Yeah, you're right! And also, I don't always classify a musician as "my favorite" because of just the music they make or good looks. It's sometimes outside the music. Like Dimebag. I don't just love him as a musician. He was Vinny's brother, and (in his words) his best friend. Never have I seen a bond or friendship as strong as theirs. Not even with OTHER blood-related musicians. How the fuck did I go from Darkthrone to Dimebag and Vinny?

[deathstorm]

Horg. From. Hypocrisy. Formley of immortal. Was a awsome. Drummer

[Neff]

I kinda loved him

[RelentlessOblivion]

I don't tend to do a whole lot of research into the members of my favourite bands. Consequently I can't think of many drummers I like even where I like the drumming of a particular band or on a particular album. It doesn't help that I don't have a large collection of bands in any genre that I listen to either.

[BlutAusNerd]

Re: Who's your favorite black metal drummer?

I liked the Weakling CD. Haven't gone back to listen to it in a while. I keep meaning to hear Averse Sefira - a professor of mine did an album cover for them. One of many bands I haven't gotten to yet' date=' but they're on the list![/quote'] Also, I don't know how I could forget our friends in Velnias, they're kind of a black/folk/doom hybrid that you may find interesting. Also, Negative Plane is a new favorite of mine, Stained Glass Revelation made my top 10 list for 2011 with ease. Sent from my HTC PH39100 using Tapatalk 2