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Sick Drummer Magazine's Top 15 picks for Best Metal Drumming Albums of 2012! These picks were decided upon by a combination of staff picks and watching input on our social network pages. There were so many great albums to choose from, which made it a very hard decision, but we feel confident in our final picks. We were going to narrow it down to just 10, but there were just too many records that deserve recognition this year, so we made it 15. We want to thank all the drummers and our fans for taking the time to tell us your picks! Let's hope 2013 brings many more amazing performances to listen to and learn from. Keep in mind, these picks are based on the drumming (not the entire production) even though some would make both lists if we did do that.
01. Danny Walker: Murder Construct - Results
Grindcore is difficult to understand and really grasp for most people, yet Danny somehow finds a way to convey his patterns in a manner that not only enhances the songs, but makes it a bit easier to understand on a whole. Danny has come a very long way and his drumming continues to progress, impress and evolve. His work on this record is simply outstanding.
02. Adam Jarvis: Pig Destroyer - Book Burner
Adam Jarvis is another who continues to evolve and impress us with his drumming skills. Aside from his hard-hitting work with Misery Index and his work with new project "Fulgora", Adam somehow found a way (and time) to record another stellar record, as the new drummer for Pig Destroyer. Adam's work on Book Burner is fierce! Not only does he continue his hard-hitting, relentless, creative and brutal patterns, but managed to fit into the PD sound flawlessly.
03. David McGraw: Cattle Decapitation - Monolith of Inhumanity
The latest record from David McGraw and Cattle Decapitation is nothing short of immense. David, from his past work with Sleep Terror and Cattle, has managed to track another mind-blowing release. David's speed, creativity, power, ease of motion and his knack for playing exactly what's called for when it's called for, are all what makes him an unbelievable talent and this album amazing.
04. Henrik Schönström: Spawn of Possession - Incurso
The drumming on this album is a huge part of what makes the entire production epic. Henrik's timing and creativity are what we feel makes him one of the best technical death metal drummers in the scene. From start to finish, the drumming on Incurso is fitting, creative and captivating. There are plenty of time/tempo changes to keep it very interesting and to keep you guessing what's next. If you like extreme speed, but also enjoy intelligent, frequently changing death metal drumming, this album is a must have.
05. Flo Mounier: Cryptopsy - Cryptopsy
What can we say about Flo Mounier... other than he has managed to record another killer Cryptopsy album. From None So Vile in 1996 (and earlier demo material) to the latest self-titled release, he just continues killing it. After 20 years of Cryptopsy releases, his drumming has only improved and continues to set a standard for others to work towards. Flo is an absolute legend and the drumming on this record is what we like to call inspiring, on many levels.
06. Ken Bedene: Aborted - Global Flatline
When we first heard the drumming of Ken Bedene, he was playing with Abigail Williams on a tour with Goatwhore. He played his set with Abigail, then hopped on stage and played a few songs on bass guitar with Goatwhore, as did Samus Paulicelli. Since then, Ken has become one of the most impressive drummers we have yet to see. Ken is an all around amazing musician and the drumming on this record is just plain SICK. It has everything you might look for in modern death metal drumming, and then some. If you have not heard it, you are sorely missing out.
07. George Kollias: Nile - At The Gate Of Sethu
Yet another astonishing performance from George Kollias, a true master and a gentleman. What we like most about the drumming on this one are the differences from the last Nile release. Sure there are similarities, but George manages to incorporate many new fills and transitions on this one, which seems to be all but forgotten a lot of the time these days. It was refreshing, as well as a pleasure to listen to the continued tasty brutality from George. Aside from tracking this brutal release, George also managed to put out a 5 hour instructional DVD entitled "Intense Metal Drumming II". Be sure to check it out if you haven't already!
08. Elliot Hoffman: CarBomb - w^w^^w^w
Elliot Hoffman has to be one of the most underrated drummers alive. Elliot's work on this album, as well as the last, is pure and utter magic. Elliot is one of those guys who can play exactly what they hear in their head without effort. The drive, managed-chaos, timing, patterns and finesse all make this Car Bomb release another drumming masterpiece. From his old work with Spooge, to his drumming over sequence videos on youtube and his work with Car Bomb, Elliot is easily one of our favorites and we would put him up against any of the better known "best" drummers in the world.
09. Trey Williams: Dying Fetus - Reign Supreme
After filling the space in Dying Fetus and releasing Descend into Depravity in 2009, Trey Williams has done it again with Reign Supreme this year. Trey has seemingly mastered the art of pure death metal drumming. His chops, speed, feel and creativity have again made their mark on the metal world, and again matched the tracks perfectly. We look forward to seeing/hearing what Trey comes up with next, and we're totally confident it will work no matter what it is.
10. Blake Richardson: Between The Buried and Me - The Parallax II: Future Sequence
Blake just keeps putting out amazing drum tracks time after time and year after year. Quickly becoming better known in the drumming world, Blake Richardson is on the road to a very long and rewarding career as a drummer. The diversity in his playing, the power, control, creativity and speed when called for, is simply masterful. The drumming on this release is yet another perfectly executed journey of epic proportions. Blake has come a very long way since Glass Casket and we are excited for his success, as well as anxious to hear his next release.
11. David Billia: Antropofagus - Architecture of Lust
If you are into brutal death drumming from Italy, or anywhere else, the work on this release by David Billia and Antropofagus will surely impress. David's drumming is insanely fast, brutal, creative, technical and fits the music perfectly. Quickly becoming a new favorite of ours, David continues to surprise us with his talents. Not only his drumming talents, but guitar, graphic arts and video editing. It seems whatever David does, he does well, especially when it comes to melting faces with his nasty drumming skills.
12. Craig Reynolds: The HAARP Machine - Disclosure
Craig Reynolds is best known for his work with Viatrophy, but really surprised us with his work on this release. We originally thought it was Alex Rudinger on the recording, but have realized that's a mistake, but at the same time a compliment. The drumming on this record is just amazing, no matter how you look at it. The timing, grooves, power, creativity and fluidity are what make it an all around great performance by Craig and should be enjoyed by anyone who plays.
13. Tomas Haake: Meshuggah - Koloss
Tomas is one of those few and far between drummers who can play a 4/4 phrase and make it sound like a totally different time signature. Having seen him do this live on a couple different occasions, we can say with no doubt he is a rare talent. His playing on Koloss is solid, solid, solid. Aside from that it's creative, very fitting, diverse, powerful and very, very tasty. Tomas is one of the nicest people we have ever met and eagerly await his next release! If you are a Meshuggah fan, you've heard this record by now, but if not, go and get it!
14. Bryan Fajardo: Noisear - Turbulent Resurgence
Bryan is another very underrated grind drummer who consistently blows our minds! The drumming on this album is hard to describe with words to do it justice. To use words from above, he is a master of controlled-chaos, speed, precision and playing for the song. With 23 tracks ranging in length from 0:25 - 1:07, this is simply an onslaught of masterful grind drumming, nothing less.
15. Kai Hahto: Wintersun - Time I
This performance by Kai Hahto is nothing short of epic. Kai is one of those drummers who can do it all and do it very well. There's a little something for everyone on this recording, as Kai likes to keep it interesting from song to song. If you like progressive, technical, folk and death metal drumming, Kai may just be one of your new favorites, if he isn't already. If this drumming performance was a movie, it would more than likely win an oscar.
Due to much feedback from our readers and social followers in the last 15 hours, we have decided to add some other notable performances to the list. The following are some of our reader favorites from 2012, as well as favorites of ours. As said at the beginning of this post, there were just so many great releases this year! It's always hard to give everyone the credit they deserve, so hopefully these added performances will become favorites of yours as well!
Samuel Santiago: Gorod - A Perfect Absolution
Joey Baca: The Contortionist - Intrinsic
Doug Anderson: Unfathomable Ruination - Misshapen Congenital Entropy
Jeff Eber: Dysrhythmia - Test of Submission
Mike Heller: Malignancy - Eugenics
Alex Bent: Arkaik - Metamorphignition
Matt Halpern: Periphery - Periphery II: This Time It's Personal
Arttu Malkki: Aeon - Aeons Black
Lyle Cooper: The Faceless - Autotheism
R.V.P: Devin Townsend Project - Epicloud
Abe Cunningham: Deftones - Koi No Yokan
Mario Duplantier: Gojira - L'Enfant Sauvage
Ronnie Bergerståhl : Grave - Endless Procession of Souls
Simone Piras: Hour of Penance - Sedition
Pete Rock: The Vile Impurity - Anathema
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