It's a battle of the Daves! Former Slayer drummer Dave Lombardo changed the game forever. ‘Reign in Blood’ laid out the rules for early death metal and saw Lombardo’s drumming become the standard protocol for extreme and brutal music in the late 1980s. His aggression behind the kit propelled Slayer’s relentless nature. His fills intertwined with the Hell-ordained riffing of his bandmates to churn out some of the most malevolent thrash the world has ever been graced with. And while he parted ways with Slayer earlier this year, his more technical playing can be heard in such outfits as Fantomas, Grip Inc. and Philm.

Dave Witte has been in a quite a few bands. He is perhaps most known for his crossover thrash playing in the beer-friendly Municipal Waste, but his more underground work is where his excellence is unparalleled. He manned the drum throne in Discordance Axis, who took grindcore to a level of perfection. His playing in the ultra technical outfit Human Remains is his most impressive work, turning on a dime and nearly quartering himself to keep up with the sheer chaos of the rest of the band.

Dave Lombardo or Dave Witte? Cast your vote for the Greatest Metal Drummer in the poll below! Voting for this round closes on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 11:59PM ET. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure that your favorite metal musician wins!

Greatest Metal Drummer Skin Bashers, Round 1
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Greatest Metal Drummer Technical Masters, Round 1
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