Greatest Metal Drummer

Two thrash drumming icons meet head-to-head in Round 1, boasting two radically different playing styles. Charlie Benante locks in tight with guitarist Scott Ian’s palm-muting champion right hand that works symbiotically with the music...

Metallica skinsman Lars Ulrich may not get acclaim as a technical master on the drums, but his stickwork has provided the backbone to metal's biggest band for 30 years. The thrash titans have always been centered around rhythm riffing, and Ulrich’s drumming anchors this approach...

Following Clive Burr’s departure from Iron Maiden, fans were skeptical about a new guy on the stool. Nicko McBrain dazzled fans in 1983 with ‘Where Eagles Dare’ off ‘Piece of Mind.’ His frantic drumwork opened the album and dashed any doubts about a new drummer...

Wildman Tommy Lee is known for many talents, but first and foremost he's a renowned hard-hitting force behind the kit in legendary hard rock outfit Mötley Crüe. One of his most famed drumming feats is when his drum kit would be lifted into the air and spun 360 degrees while he performed a drum solo, damning gravity...

Clive Burr may not have an overwhelming catalog to draw from like other drummers in this competition, but his work on the first three Iron Maiden albums have made a long-lasting impact. Burr was a madman behind the kit, sending his limbs flying across it on songs like ‘Genghis Khan’ and ‘Gangland...

This one is an intriguing matchup. In one corner, we have Black Sabbath founding member Bill Ward. The human octopus provided the backbone for the pioneers of heavy metal. His playing ranges from mind-altering drum fills to incredible restraint in keeping pace with the varied rhythms of Tony Iommi and Geezer Butler...