Top 10 Metal Songs with Best Paired Guitars and Drums
Synchronisation between guitars and drums is always necessary but here I am talking about a higher degree of harmonization.By paired guitars and drums I mean when drummers play towards the guitars/riffs in such a way that drumming mirrors the riffs, or extends the riffs to a whole new fusion that sounds more complete and compact. Drums are subordinated to guitars and drumming sounds almost like an "extention" of the guitars. The result is absolutely beautiful.
There are many songs with great drumming and great guitar work but they are not paired in the way I mean.
Ride the Lightning really adds a good combo of the two. Pairing guitars and drums can add a great sound to any music of any genre. If you take out one of the two then you get a good result either way. So when you combine two great instruments, that are separate, into one song, you will gain something beyond compare.
From this song you will understand what I mean - pairing of guitars and drums starts in the intro.
Lars Ulrich isn't the fastest and most technical thrash drummer but he's got incredible musicality and I give him credits for popularisation of this type of drumming, where drums are subordinated to guitars. Lars did it often and this explains why many Metallica songs are on this list.
This song has a thick riff layer which is so well paired with the drums that it takes my whole attention when I listen to the song. The effect of pairing is so beautiful that I stop listening to the vocals although Ralf Scheepers is a very interesting singer.
Drummer - Randy Black.
Randy Black's got incredible musicality, too, but in general he's faster and more technical than Lars (this song isn't Randy's fastest).
Drums and guitars are so interlaced that act as one, they just merge. Rhythm guitar and drums play rhythms that are more "fluid / liquid" and they flow.
Drummer - Brent Smedley.
Drumming is well paired with the main riff. You can hear the drumming better on the drum solo at 3:55-4:30. It resembles machine gun sounds which is absolutely awesome on a song with this lyrical theme.
Drummer - Randy Black.
Drummer - Paul Bostaph.
Randy Black changes the beat several times in order to mirror the song dynamics (beats are from different metal subgenres).
Drummer - Mike Mangini (he's currently in Dream Theater).
...and then ya have Phantom, Where Eagles Dare, Trooper, Aces High, Heaven Can Wait, Killers, Blood Brothers...the list of excellence goes on and on! Been a fan since Piece of Mind and now I'm 48! I love metal of all kinds but no band get's me more fired up like the all mighty Iron Maiden!
There is a really good intro in that song, and that is just about 3% of the reason why I think this should be high on the list.
