67 Best Metal Drummers

Adam Gray

Adam Gray is arguably one of the lesser-known drummers on this list, but he’s such a great player who always makes his mark when drumming along with bands and tracks.

He’s the drummer for Texas in July, but he’s been part of various other projects over the years as a key drummer. He’s also a fantastic teacher, and it’s always good to see drummers teaching the next generation.

I regularly watch clips that he posts on Instagram, and I’m always inspired!

Milos Meier

Milos Meier is one of the most popular drummers in Czechoslovakia. He’s quite a versatile player, playing drums with various acts that cover different musical styles.

However, you can see in his playing that he’s primarily a metal guy, and his metal drumming with different groups is incredible to watch and listen to.

Jon Rice

Jon Rice is a session drummer who specializes in every sub-genre of metal. While he’s been a key member of a few bands, he’s found most of his success by being a gun-for-hire drummer to fill in for various groups.

I love how versatile he is with his drumming, as being able to accurately play every style of metal is quite a hard thing to do.

Chris Kontos

Chris Kontos was the original drummer for Machine Head. While he only recorded one album with the band, his drum parts were iconic, and many of them became fundamental inspiration for aspiring metal drummers to study.

He’s played with various groups after he left Machine Head, but most people remember him for that first album with the band.

Charlie Benante

Charlie Benante is an incredible thrash metal drummer. He’s the drummer for Anthrax, also playing a vital role in the band’s songwriting process throughout the years. He also joined up with Pantera after Vinnie Paul died.

Being part of the thrash metal scene, Charlie Benante has incredible speed behind the kit. He’s able to play really powerful grooves and fills at insanely high tempos.

Alex Rudinger

Alex Rudinger was one of the first drummers that exposed me to open-handed playing. He plays on a symmetrical drum kit setup, having two pairs of hi-hats and floor toms on each side of his kit.

He’s still quite young compared to many other drummers on this list, but he’s made a huge impact on the metal scene with his YouTube channel and contributions to bands like Threat Signal and Conquering Dystopia.

Tommy Clufetos

Tommy Clufetos has been a longtime drummer for Ozzy Osbourne. He also toured with Black Sabbath when they did their reunion tour in 2012.

He’s one of those classic metal drummers that started playing professionally when the metal scene first started building, so he’s a legend in the business.

He’s also played with several other legendary artists, including Alice Cooper, Rob Zombie, and Ted Nugent.

Derek Roddy

Derek Roddy has been one of the best extreme metal drummers for decades. The first time I saw him play was when he did a lot of educational content with Drum Channel. I was really impressed by how he could move around the kit.

It’s even more impressive that he’s often referred to as One Take by the people he works with. Apparently, it only takes him a few days of practicing and a take or two to nail songs in the studio.

Mike Smith

Mike Smith was a founding member and main drummer of Suffocation for years. He left the band before they went on hiatus in the late 90s, but he joined them again in the early 2000s to play for another decade.

He left again in 2012, and now works as a drum educator and session musician. Many people praise him as being one of the best drummers in the death metal scene.

John Longstreth

John Longstreth is a modern metal drummer who has played with several acts, including Origin, Malefic Throne, and Hate Eternal.

He’s another big name in the death metal scene, with many people regarding him as one of the most proficient drummers currently performing.

When watching him play, you can’t help but admire his mastery over all his movements around the kit!

Kerim Lechner

Kerim Lechner is a multi-instrumentalist who primarily works as a drummer. He’s the drummer for Decapitated, but he’s also played with Thorns of Ivy, Septicflesh, and Mondstille.

Most people know him as Krimh, as that’s the stage name he goes by. He’s an amazing death metal drummer who regularly plays progressive metal as well.