Soldato
- Joined
- 11 May 2006
- Posts
- 5,786
I don't know about everyone else but when I listen to rock/metal and even certain types of jazz I usually focus on the drumming above everything else and in many cases the quality of drumming on a given album can make or break it for me.
Here are some favourites:
Tool - Lateralus ~ Danny Carey is easily one of the best rock drummers out there today imho. The drumming isn't incredibly technical or rediculosly fast but has huge amounts of dynamic range and texture, something missing from the a lot of the otherwise hugely complex metal bands today. Lateralus, Aenima and Undertow also happen to be well mastered albums so the drumming really jumps out and is simply a pleasure to listen to.
Death - The Sound Of Perseverance ~ First Death album I listened to and probably their best. Richard Christy is just plain awesomness on this album; rapid dynamics, odd time signatures, polyrythms ... one after the other with amazing ease.
Coprofago - Unorthodox Creative Criteria ~ Pretty new to this odd style of metal, a sort of jazz meets technical progressive death metal band I guess, like a mix of Meshuggah, Ephel Duath, Cynic, Athiest. What matters though is the kickass drumming.
Textures - Polars ~ Really been getting into this album lately and loving it. I would say it's progressive technical metal/metalcore with melodic and ambient interludes (a bit like Meshuggah but with melodic sections). Can't really say much about the drumming except that it is fast, complex and hard hitting, exactly as it should be.
Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve ~ Tech Metal from Sweden and easily my favourite Meshuggah album. I think some their later albums got a bit repetitive but on this Tomas Haake is simply untouchable when it comes to odd time signatures and rediculously mechanical drumming.
Aghora - Aghora ~ Eastern influenced technical metal from the US with Sean Reinert as their drummer (played for Death and Cynic in the past). Beautiful, effortless and jaw droppingly majestic drumming with probably some of the best cymbal work I've heard on a metal album. Great stuff thats well mastered too.
Gorguts - Obscura ~ Has to be heard to be believed tbh.
Atrox - Terrestrials ~ Progressive avant-garde metal from Norway. Hard to describe but the vocalist is completely nuts and the drummer suitably frantic, exploding unsuspectingly with incredibly fast and ferocious drumming patterns yet never overdoing it. Highly recommended but be warned!
Dredg - Leitmotif ~ I was recommended these guys as an alternative to Tool and while I'd disagree with that comparision, they're certainly just as talented. What's amazing about the drumming is the way it is recorded and mixed in with the rest of the instruments, almost like a live recording, very dynamic and bursting with energy. Highly recommended.
Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects - Sol Niger Within ~ Hard to obtain a copy of this album unless you're willing to pay silly amounts but it's worth it just to listen to their drummer Morgan Ågren. The guy is just freaking intense, sounds almost like he has an extra pair of hands at times. Check this youtube video for a short glimpse.
So what are your favourite drumming albums?
Here are some favourites:
Tool - Lateralus ~ Danny Carey is easily one of the best rock drummers out there today imho. The drumming isn't incredibly technical or rediculosly fast but has huge amounts of dynamic range and texture, something missing from the a lot of the otherwise hugely complex metal bands today. Lateralus, Aenima and Undertow also happen to be well mastered albums so the drumming really jumps out and is simply a pleasure to listen to.
Death - The Sound Of Perseverance ~ First Death album I listened to and probably their best. Richard Christy is just plain awesomness on this album; rapid dynamics, odd time signatures, polyrythms ... one after the other with amazing ease.
Coprofago - Unorthodox Creative Criteria ~ Pretty new to this odd style of metal, a sort of jazz meets technical progressive death metal band I guess, like a mix of Meshuggah, Ephel Duath, Cynic, Athiest. What matters though is the kickass drumming.
Textures - Polars ~ Really been getting into this album lately and loving it. I would say it's progressive technical metal/metalcore with melodic and ambient interludes (a bit like Meshuggah but with melodic sections). Can't really say much about the drumming except that it is fast, complex and hard hitting, exactly as it should be.
Meshuggah - Destroy Erase Improve ~ Tech Metal from Sweden and easily my favourite Meshuggah album. I think some their later albums got a bit repetitive but on this Tomas Haake is simply untouchable when it comes to odd time signatures and rediculously mechanical drumming.
Aghora - Aghora ~ Eastern influenced technical metal from the US with Sean Reinert as their drummer (played for Death and Cynic in the past). Beautiful, effortless and jaw droppingly majestic drumming with probably some of the best cymbal work I've heard on a metal album. Great stuff thats well mastered too.
Gorguts - Obscura ~ Has to be heard to be believed tbh.

Atrox - Terrestrials ~ Progressive avant-garde metal from Norway. Hard to describe but the vocalist is completely nuts and the drummer suitably frantic, exploding unsuspectingly with incredibly fast and ferocious drumming patterns yet never overdoing it. Highly recommended but be warned!
Dredg - Leitmotif ~ I was recommended these guys as an alternative to Tool and while I'd disagree with that comparision, they're certainly just as talented. What's amazing about the drumming is the way it is recorded and mixed in with the rest of the instruments, almost like a live recording, very dynamic and bursting with energy. Highly recommended.
Fredrik Thordendal's Special Defects - Sol Niger Within ~ Hard to obtain a copy of this album unless you're willing to pay silly amounts but it's worth it just to listen to their drummer Morgan Ågren. The guy is just freaking intense, sounds almost like he has an extra pair of hands at times. Check this youtube video for a short glimpse.
So what are your favourite drumming albums?