Top 10 Best Death Metal Drummers

George Kollias (Nile)

Georgios "George" Kollias is a Greek heavy metal drummer and music teacher. He is best known for his long-time work with the American technical death metal band Nile. Kollias is widely recognized for his speed, precision, and instructional materials for aspiring drummers.

This guy is very good. He's better with his hands than most death metal drummers and is in the top 15 for the fastest double bass pedals ever, so yeah, he's number one.

I've known him since our teenage years, and I have only one word for him: "Hardworker." This guy practices everywhere - even on walls or tables! All day with drumsticks...

I love his drumming, man. I am a death metal drummer, and I have nothing on him. His blast beats are insane.

Gene Hoglan

Eugene "Gene" Victor Hoglan II is an American drummer. He is acclaimed for his creativity in drum arrangements, including the use of unconventional devices for percussion effects and his signature extended double-kick drum rhythms. Hoglan has performed with bands such as Dark Angel, Death, Strapping... read more

Not only is he incredibly technical, but his immense footwork is probably the best in the industry. I think people forget how creative and diverse he can be. There's no mistaking his playing - when you listen, you know it's him behind that set. His style varies significantly when playing for Death, Testament, and especially with Fear Factory. He's also a great dude to talk to - modest and very humble. I got the chance to see him live with the great Chuck Schuldiner back in the day with Death, Devin Townsend's Strapping Young Lad, and, of course, one of my all-time favorites, Fear Factory, twice with Burt, Dino, and Byron. He blew my mind live! He makes it look so easy. Salute!

Paul Mazurkiewicz (Cannibal Corpse)

Paul Mazurkiewicz is an American drummer best known as a member of the death metal band Cannibal Corpse. He was originally the drummer for the band Tirant Sin, alongside two other future Cannibal Corpse members, Chris Barnes and Bob Rusay. Mazurkiewicz has remained with Cannibal Corpse since its formation... read more

Technically not the best, but he has a recognizable style that is one of the things that makes Cannibal Corpse sound different from any other death metal band. He's also one of the pioneers in this genre.

He should be at the top of the list. He has the best timing in the world, never misses a note, and plays live exactly like on the CD.

Cradle of Filth and Suicide Silence are not death metal, laugh out loud. Cannibal Corpse is one of the best.

Francesco Paoli (Fleshgod Apocalypse)

Francesco Paoli is the drummer for the Italian technical death metal band Fleshgod Apocalypse, which was formed in 2007. He is also a founding member of the band and contributed as the lead vocalist and guitarist on earlier albums. Paoli is known for his intense drumming style, incorporating elements... read more

God-tier drummer! Just listen to his insane blast beats in "The Violation" or the precision in "Minotaur."

Nils Fjellström

Played in Aeon, Sanctification, and Dark Funeral. Now in Nordjevel. Just a great drummer for death metal and black metal.

Krimh (Decapitated)

Great drummer. Just check out his YouTube channel!

Mike Smith (Suffocation)

Talking about Mike Smith is not only about his career with Suffocation but also his contribution to death metal and extreme drumming techniques. God sent him to the world to invent death metal drumming.

Who's the master? Of course, Mike Smith. With his multi-instrumentalist background, he's able to approach the "art of drumming" proportionally. He's the best drummer ever.

You have to commend any drummer with wrists like Mike's. Crazy stuff.

Dave McGraw (Cattle Decapitation)

This is the level I want to reach. Dave is nearly untouchable as a drummer.

Cattle Decap is one of the heaviest bands around, and this guy is one of the reasons.

An absolute beast on the skins.

John Longstreth (Origin, Skinless, Gorguts)

There is absolutely no way any drummer from an old-school death metal band or any deathcore band should be above Longstreth. There is no one who combines that type of speed with that technicality. He's the most complete DM drummer.

Longstreth combines that speed with technicality. He tops Kolias, Hoglan... anyone.
Longstreth is the number ONE death metal drummer, hands down.

No questions asked, by far one of the most technical and fastest drummers, and he still manages to make it catchy.

Flo Mounier

Flo Mounier is the drummer of the Canadian technical death metal band Cryptopsy. He has toured extensively across Canada, Europe, Japan, Australia, and the United States over the past 24 years. Cryptopsy's combined record sales have exceeded 300,000 copies, and Mounier is acclaimed for his technical... read more

Utterly insane drummer. His talent hasn't gone unnoticed, but he still deserves more recognition!

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Joey Jordison (Sinsaenum)

Joey Jordison was an American musician, songwriter, and record producer best known as the former drummer and co-songwriter for the heavy metal band Slipknot. He also played guitar in the horror punk band Murderdolls. Jordison co-founded the blackened death metal band Sinsaenum and was involved in the... read more

While Joey is best known for his work on Slipknot, he's gone through a few projects since his departure from the band. Among the most notable, he's a founding member of a blackened death metal band called Sinsaenum, which has released two studio albums as of now.

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Tim Yeung (I Am Morbid)

Pete "The Feet" Sandoval (Morbid Angel)

Hannes Grossmann (Necrophagist, Obscura)

Hannes Grossmann (born September 8, 1982) is a German drummer. He currently plays for the German progressive metal band Alkaloid and the Swiss extreme metal band Triptykon. He previously performed with Necrophagist during their Epitaph era, contributed to Obscura's first two albums, and played with Hate... read more

I was about to vote for George Kollias until I scrolled down a bit and saw Hannes. An absolute monster, his work for Necrophagist, Obscura, Blotted Science, and Alkaloid is incredible.

He's a beast. His work for Blotted Science is also remarkable.

Richard Christy (Death)

Only on one album of Death, but he was the best one in my opinion.

This guy is an absolute monster. Way underrated. Super quick feet.

Lyle Cooper (Absvrdist, The Faceless, Abhorrent)

Shawn Cameron?!?!? But no Lyle Cooper? Listen to his work with Abhorrent and then look me in the face and tell me even a quarter of this list is on his level. Disgraceful.

Planetary Duality is a piece of art because of his work. What a creative and cool drummer!

Spencer Prewett (Archspire)

Zbigniew "Inferno" Promiński (Behemoth)

Great double bass drum work and a variety of blast beats. When he's playing live, he uses different kinds of tempos for the blast, making the live set diverse. Also, great technique.

Steve Asheim (Deicide)

Steve is one of the founding drummers of technical death metal. As a founding member of Deicide, he has also become one of the defining death metal drummers. His blast beats are insane, especially in his early works (e.g., Deicide and Legion), which were groundbreaking for their time. The producers at Morrisound Studios were dumbfounded by how to clearly handle a blast beat like that. He is ranked the 14th fastest blast beat drummer of all time (according to Guinness), and that alone makes Steve a drumming god. Not to mention that he can play the rack toms and cymbals so fast and fluently that I sometimes prefer just listening to Deicide's drum tracks rather than the whole song. He may not be as fast as George Kollias or some other drummers, but he is a musical genius and will always be my top drummer.

Fabio Ramirez (Internal Suffering, Christ Denied)

Romain Goulon (Necrophagist)

These top ten are based on how famous they are. Technically, Romain Goulon blows Gene Hoglan clear out of the water.

Darren Cesca (Deeds of Flesh, Goratory, Arsis)

Derek Roddy

Derek is the mastermind. He is best known as Derek "ONETAKE" Roddy. Hails to this flawless lunatic.

By far the best drummer in the death metal scene right now. He's up there with George Kollias, but he plays so well that he's done every single recording in one take - hence the nickname Derek "One Take" Roddy.

He is the best. No question about that.

Ken Bedene (Aborted)

Damn, this dude's drum parts go hard. Really creative in what he writes as well.

Insane speed and power. His technique is flawless, and he is one of the cleanest players in death metal.

Krzysztof Raczkowski (Vader)

Sean Reinert

Sean Reinert was the drummer of Æon Spoke. He was also the drummer and a founding member of Cynic, a progressive metal band, until leaving in September 2015. Reinert was widely respected for his technical drumming and contributions to the evolution of metal music.

How the hell is Reinert not higher?