Whenever people discuss the greatest musicians of all time, they’re usually talking about guitarists like Stevie Ray Vaughan or vocalists like Bruce Dickinson. Bassists take a back seat, and it seems like drummers are often left in the trunk. In any genre, drummers play an important role, keeping the rest of the band in time and giving the song a solid foundation. In metal, drummers are even more important, keeping an otherwise chaotic composition tight. With so much of the genre hinging on speed, transitions, and intensity, the drummer is more like the GPS in a car, guiding the direction and pace.

These drummers have played with some of the top metal bands to have ever graced the stage at venues ranging from small clubs and licensed gambling establishments in California to arenas and stadiums around the world. If you’re a drummer looking for inspiration or someone who just wants to marvel at some mind-melting drumming skills, you’ve come to the right place. These legendary metal drummers are as good as it gets.

1. Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater)

Mike Portnoy might as well be referred to as an architect, considering his profound influence in the progressive metal scene. He is best known as one of the founders of Dream Theater but has also played for bands like Avenged Sevenfold, Sons of Apollo, and Transatlantic after his departure. Portnoy is especially known for tackling polyrhythms and odd time signatures, turning into a chameleon that can easily adapt to a ballad or a heavy track. He’s managed to make double-kick patterns his signature, incorporating them into melodic structures rather than just a tool for speed.

2. Tomas Haake (Meshuggah)

Meshuggah has built a serious cult following in several decades as a band, with nine studio albums under their belts and a reputation for complicated, polymetered songs. Tomas Haake, with his exceptional technical drumming ability, fit right in. While Haake is the band’s drummer, he has also proudly written the majority of their lyrics, which speaks to his involvement in the depth of their compositions. He uses intricate drum rhythms to complement his psychological and philosophical themes and create the emotional intensity die-hard fans are seeking. Haake is best known for layering multiple percussion elements and exuding musicality in every note he plays.

3. Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy)

There are two elements in death metal that you hear when you play a song—the growling vocals and intense drumming that fill your ears to the brim. But there’s a real art in drumming in this subgenre. It’s not about hitting as hard as possible but retaining intensity while balancing intricacy and precision. Mounier is celebrated as one of the most technical drummers in this realm, with legendary double bass work and a one-of-a-kind accuracy. Cryptopsy’s music is extremely dense, requiring Mounier to carefully navigate the band’s intense and unforgiving compositions.

4. Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders)

Matt Garstka’s drumming superpower is his versatility. He draws influences from electronic, jazz, and funk music, which work perfectly with Animals as Leaders’ songs. For instance, he takes the polyrhythmic grooves in jazz drumming and blends them with the aggression of metal. Thanks to his experience in other genres, he has mastered switching seamlessly between time signatures, whether 5/4 or 11/8. There’s a true fluidity and effortlessness in the way he plays, and he emphasizes the relationship between the complex guitar work and the drums. You’ll find Garstka performing ear-tickling syncopated grooves and patterns in many of the band’s tracks and his penchant for creating serious harmony between his kit and the rest of the instruments.

5. Joey Jordison (Slipknot)

Joey Jordison was once the backbone of Slipknot until his unfortunate passing in 2021. His legacy is pervasive in the nu-metal scene, playing with a raw intensity that the band is famous for. While Slipknot’s music is as complex as any other band in a metal subgenre, drumming for them is no easy task, given their wild and theatrical performance style. Jordison was a natural showman who knew how to push the boundaries (even in nu-metal) with fast blast beats, double bass, and kick drum patterns. Rather than allowing his drumming to simply succumb to being a backbeat or a necessity, Jordison made sure he always stayed innovative by incorporating a wide spectrum of rhythmic ideas.

6. Alex Rudinger (Whitechapel)

All the drummers on this list are metal drummers for a reason, whether it’s their ability to handle polyrhythms or keep up the pace. Alex Rudinger, however, is all about the groove—even when the tempos and patterns are all over the place. Rudinger is considered one of the most technically skilled drummers of all time, with his crystal-clear drumming and ability to infuse a musicality in an otherwise stiff and noisy genre. While Joey Jordison and Flo Mounier pride themselves on their intensity, Rudinger is more about structure and control. In “The Violation” by Fleshgod Apocalypse (one of the other bands he’s played for), Rudinger plays certain parts at a quarter rate of the song’s BPM (270), which is 30 BPM short of the gun with the fastest fire rate in WWII.

7. Matt Halpern (Periphery)

The metalcore subgenre is about precision, syncopated rhythms, breakdowns, and heaps of cymbal work. Being a metalcore drummer is no joke, with complex drum fills and plenty of finesse required to fit the bill. Matt Halpern of Periphery demonstrates this meticulousness and energy to the max. With a sound that’s defined by djent and progressive metal elements, he manages to support the band’s chugging riffs and beautiful melodic sections. Halpern frequently has to act as the conductor for the band, especially when it comes to building and reducing tension and emphasizing dramatic points in songs.