Martin Lopez (Opeth)- My biggest influence. Lopez is my hero!
Tomas Haake (Meshuggah)- I don't think he's human
Daniel Liljekvist (Katatonia)- I dig his grooves and his fills
Gavin Harrison (Porcupine Tree)- No explanation required
Neil Peart (Rush)- Well, he IS the man
Lars Ulrich (Metallica) Before the whole board goes apeshit, I'm just gonna say that I first heard Metallica when I was six (The Black Album) so at that age, anything was impressive. I dug the drums and made me wanna pick up the sticks. Lars Ulrich is my first influence, so no matter how badly he plays now (which is damn bad!) I still hold him high because Lars Ulrich/Metallica introduced me to metal and drumming and i'm sure it was the same for some of you too.
Top 6... how originally... ok
1. Quorthon (Bathory)
2. Johan Hegg (Amon Amarth)
3. Anders Nyström (you know, haha)
4. Bruce Dickinson (Iron Maiden)
5. Peter Tägtgren (Hypocrisy, Pain)
6. Greg Mackintosh (Paradise Lost)
Mikael Stanne (Dark Tranquillity)
Mikael Akerfeldt (Opeth)
Jonas Renkse (Katatonia)
Niklas Sundin (Dark Tranquillity)
Stu Block (Into Eternity)
Jamie Hooper (3 Inches of Blood)
Devin Townsend (Especially SYL)
Anders Nyström/Blakkheim/Blackheim (Katatonia,Diabolical Masquerade)
Jonas Renkse/Lord Seth/Lord J. Renkse (Katatonia)
Anders Björler/Jonas Björler (At The Gates/ The Haunted)
Janne Joutsenniemi/Roope Latvala (Stone)
Bill Steer (Carcass)
Steven Wilson (Porcupine Tree)
Mikael Åkerfeldt(Opeth, Katatonia)
Dan Swanö/Day Disyraah (Diabolical Masquerade, Katatonia)
Chuck Schuldiner (Death)
Glenn Tipton/ K.K Downing (Judas Priest)