Any drummers out there? What do you think of...

[Wavebreaker]

This is aimed at metal drummers; specifically, progressive metal drummers. I'd like to know what you guys (or girls) think of the following drummers:
Martin Lopez (Opeth), Jason Rullo (SymphonyX), Richard Cristy (Death, Control Denied), Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect), Mike Portnoy (DreamTheater), Van Williams (Nevermore)...

By the way, if any of you are in the Montreal area, or if you know any good drummers in Montreal, there is a progressive metal band that is looking for a fucked up drummer to complete the band. Contact me by e-mail.

Cheers!

 

[Ronnie.B]

Martin Lopez (Opeth) - He's a good drummer but not one of my faves, very dynamic though. Pretty technical too, fast feet.

Jason Rullo (SymphonyX) - Also a really good drummer with a great sense for odd rhythmsignatures.

Richard Cristy (Death, Control Denied) - Imo a very overrated drummer. He's constantly overplaying, way to much fills everywhere, don't like his style at all. However, he's though one of the most technical and fastest drummers I've ever heard.

Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect) - Amazing drummer, fluid with a very jazzy groove and plays for the song. His work with Borknagar is awesome too.

Mike Portnoy (DreamTheater) - Big influence for me with his playing on "Awake." Nowdays he's a bit repetitive but still one of the best drummers around.

Van Williams (Nevermore) - Haven't heard that much by him as I don't like Nevermore at all due to horrible vocals. The little I've heard though is pretty average drumming, nothing out of the ordinary imho.


Hope that wasn't to negative.

 

[Wavebreaker]

Many people told me that about Cristy... I don't know. Maybe on Sound of Perseverence you could say there was some overplaying (although I find that the drums MAKE that great album), but in Control Denied he was very, well, controlled. I love his cymbal-work, his dynamics, the way he pushes and drags the beat so fluidly, almost to the point of being sloppy, but not.

Van Williams... well I didn't really add his name because I thought he was great (even though he is sounding better on the new album Enemies of Reality), but because he complements the music so well; he's like the modern-day Lars (in many ways, I find Nevermore to be the band Metallica would have developed into if they had continued with metal after the Black Album).
Oh, and give Warrel Dane a chance (Nevermore's singer). People seem to get thrown off when they hear them for the first time, but usually because they haven't heard the right songs. He actually has a great voice, versatile, powerful, melodic or aggressive as needed, grat vocal harmonies... he is opera trained. Great lyrics too (aesthetically at least)

Ok then!

 

[Ronnie.B]

Oh, and give Warrel Dane a chance (Nevermore's singer). People seem to get thrown off when they hear them for the first time, but usually because they haven't heard the right songs. He actually has a great voice, versatile, powerful, melodic or aggressive as needed, grat vocal harmonies... he is opera trained. Great lyrics too (aesthetically at least)

I have, trust me I have tried! I bought Dreaming Neon Black a couple of years ago and I hate it LOL, I can't listen to it honestly due to his vocals.
The only songs I like with them are "The Sanity Assassin" and "Next In Line" which are killer songs.

 

[FailingAcension]

I will talk about Asgier.
He is really good and really creative. He is smooth and catchy and his cymbal work sounds really good with whoever he plays with. Thumbs up.

 

[The Wanderer]

Many people told me that about Cristy... I don't know. Maybe on Sound of Perseverence you could say there was some overplaying (although I find that the drums MAKE that great album), but in Control Denied he was very, well, controlled. I love his cymbal-work, his dynamics, the way he pushes and drags the beat so fluidly, almost to the point of being sloppy, but not.

I dunno. sometimes I really think he is sloppy. He's not one of my favs...he's impressive at first but then I think he just needs to chill out.

Mike Portnoy's work on the new OSI is really fucking cool. that album rules.

 

[Jondur]

Martin Lopez (Opeth) - not technically the best but has improved massively in recent years. He works hard to add some nice accents.
Jason Rullo (SymphonyX) - good, solid, not that special
Richard Cristy (Death, Control Denied) - excellent drummer. From straight ahead metal to off beat madness, he can nail it all. Gets overlooked now because Iced Earth etc are quite restrained drum-wise.
Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect) - excellent
Mike Portnoy (DreamTheater) - highly overrated. Overly flashy and relies on too few tricks (the old 2 on hands 2 on feet thing). Plus his odd times never really flow.
Van Williams (Nevermore) - just a straight metaldrummer. Nothing overly exciting.

I suggest you check out Planet X. Virgil Donati destroys all those drummers put together.

Happy drumming!

 

[Opacum Diluculum]

Mickelson is a excellent drummer in my opinion,as Spiral Architect is a fantastic band.
Donati is another impressing drummer...his work on Moonbabies is amazing,imo.

you should perhaps check Thomas haake of Meshuggah and Morgen Agren,who played on fredrik thordendal´s Special Defects.

Daniel

 

[Episteme]

Flo from Crptopsy and Vitek from Decapitated slays.

 

[The Wanderer]

The drummer from decapitated can hardly be mentioned in the same sentence as flo, or most of the drummers listed in this thread. give him a few years, we'll see.

 

[Biowaste]

Martin Lopez (Opeth) - One of my personal favorites and one of the more underrated drummers in metal. Martin is very tasteful, dynamic and musical, a quality many metal drummers simply do not possess. Most people underrate him because he doesn't blastbeat at 250 bpm like most metal drummers that get all the "praise". It seems only drummers that are true musicians instead of speed machines appreciate him and it is a true shame.

Asgeir Mickelson (Spiral Architect, Borknagar) - Very similiar to Lopez in that I also have high regard for Asgeir because I think very highly of his small cymbal / bell work on all of his Borknagar work. I cannot comment on his Spiral Architect drumming as I've not heard enough of it.

Mike Portnoy (Dream Theater, Liquid Tension Experiment) - I certainly don't see Mike as an overrated drummer but a very good one. Mike has a small tendency to overplay a little at times but it is part of his style. Most people don't know that Mike was mostly self-taught, which is very respectable he's accomplished the level he's at right now.

Van Williams (Nevermore) - I agree with Jondur that Van is mostly a straight-ahead metal drummer, which is exactly what Nevermore's music calls for. His style centers around power and groove, rather than flash, which is appreciative that he stays within the pocket of his own abilities and does it well.

Other drummers I feel might be worthy of this thread may include... Tomas Haake (Meshuggah) and Henry Ranta (Soilwork).

 

[Jondur]

errr.... yes I do. Compare him to Virgil Donati, Marco Minneman, Thomas Lang, Chad Wackerman, Vinnie Colauita etc or even Flo Mournier and he doesn't even come close.

I said he was good and solid but the drummers I mentioned above are what I would term "special"

 

[all4dametal]

Thomas Haake - Meshuggah..........He is fucking insane ! I also give the nod to Gene Hoglan - Strapping Young Lad, the guy has some fast feet and hands. I'm not a drummer but I appreciate that instrument more than any other !

 

[97reb]

Mike from Zero Hour
Gene Hoglan also, in addition to SYL was in Death
I find most of Sympnony X repetitive and overplayed, but I'll give Rullo props for being self-taught, as I'm trying to learn drums on my own now after playing guitar for 20 years.
Martin Lopez is great, and the band is especially tight live.

 

[Brutal asphyxiation]

Mike from Zero Hour
Gene Hoglan also, in addition to SYL was in Death
I find most of Sympnony X repetitive and overplayed, but I'll give Rullo props for being self-taught, as I'm trying to learn drums on my own now after playing guitar for 20 years.
Martin Lopez is great, and the band is especially tight live.

gene hoglan was also in dark angel too. Richard cristy is a overall good drummer, although he might be a little on the fill side sometimes, but thats alright. Dave culross, now that is the man. just listen to suffocations "despise the sun" or malevolent creations " envenomed" "fine art of murder", the drumwork is superb, fast, brutal and tight. Over all topnotch shit.. His blastbeats are phenomanal and his double bass skills are top of the line, he is quite dynamic too may i say.