Bill Ward vs. Nicko McBrain – Greatest Metal Drummer, Quarterfinals

A classic matchup starts out the quarterfinal round of our Greatest Metal Drummer tournament, with Black Sabbath legend Bill Ward taking on Iron Maiden mainstay Nicko McBrain.

Bill Ward has had an impressive run so far, beating out one-time Black Sabbath and Dio drummer Vinny Appice in Round 1 before earning a victory over late Iron Maiden drummer Clive Burr in Round 2. Now, Ward takes on another Maiden favorite, Nicko McBrain, in the quarterfinals.

Nick McBrain has been manning the Iron Maiden kit for 30 years, taking over for the aforementioned Burr. McBrain took out Sevendust's Morgan Rose in Round 1 of this competition, and then withstood a big push from Motley Crue's Tommy Lee in Round 2. But how will McBrain fare against the mighty Bill Ward?

Bill Ward or Nicko McBrain? Cast your vote for the Greatest Metal Drummer in the poll below! Voting for this round closes on Sunday, Sept. 8 at 11:59PM ET. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure that your favorite metal musician wins!