Haha! That sounds like a crazy and fun setup, man!
However, I feel that playing without a live drummer in a "traditional" metal band would be received rather poorly. Most metal fans are pretty conservative when it come to what they expect to hear and see from a band.
Yeah, I totally agree. If it's experimental, you can probably get away with it.
The best thing about it is definately that we don't need a rehearsal space. We usually just meet up at the keyboardists flat and practice there. That, and the drummer is always in time and never has a hangover it's a running gag in one band I play in, since the drummer somehow manages to have a hangover in almost every single rehearsal we have.
the world needs more drummers......its crushing when your drummer especially if he was truly part of the bands "music" - all the best finding someone to fill the role