# Who is the fastest death metal drummer ever? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 25, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243 "2006-08-25T20:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/1 "2006-08-25T20:10:14Z")
And when I say fast, I say the speed of their double bass kicks and their snare grinds? Has it ever been measured? I know the drummer for Cryptopsy is up there in speed. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 8:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/2 "2006-08-25T20:40:55Z")
A couple of insanely fast drummers (measured by the speed of their double-kick and blast beat) are Pete Sandoval from Morbid Angel and Mitch Harris from Napalm Death. However, I think the fastest guys around are the Norwegian black metal guys – the drummer on Immortal’s first four albums was simply ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/3 "2006-08-25T20:48:10Z")
Kevin Talley who used to play for Dying Fetus is insane as well. I’m actually good friends with John Gallagher who is now the only original member left. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/4 "2006-08-25T21:03:17Z")
All of the previously mentioned are awesome, and I’d just add Paul Mazurkiewicz of Cannibal Corpse and Inferno from Behemoth aren’t to be forgotten. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/5 "2006-08-25T21:08:31Z")
\I think this is probably the wrong forum for this discussion. It probably should be moved to the Cafe…\ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/6 "2006-08-25T21:14:20Z")
[QUOTE=newcrasher] \I think this is probably the wrong forum for this discussion. It probably should be moved to the Cafe…\ 😃 [/QUOTE] Not necessarily… he’s looking for measured speed, there is a factual answer. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/7 "2006-08-25T21:43:31Z")
Well so far measures have been “insanely fast… simply ridiculous… awesome”. Not trending toward an actual factual answer… ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/8 "2006-08-25T21:49:12Z")
Trym’s up there, but he’s a black metal drummer. Do they count? ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/9 "2006-08-25T21:51:56Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] Trym’s up there, but he’s a black metal drummer. Do they count? [/QUOTE] See my post upthread regarding Immortal. They _have_ to count. Also, Hellhammer from Mayhem. ---
**Author:** ![pool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pool/32/4152_2.png) [@pool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pool)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/10 "2006-08-25T21:53:54Z")
Joey Jordison from Slipknot is very tight and impressive, I wonder if being 5’3’’ helps or hinders? The drummer from Avenged Sevenfold is very good as well. Its amazing to see how double bass has evolved from straight runs to being much more complex in nature. ---
**Author:** ![Ximenean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/aca169/32.png) [@Ximenean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ximenean)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/11 "2006-08-25T21:56:17Z")
If it weren’t for Slipknot (OK, and Napalm Death) I’d swear you were all make these band names up. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/12 "2006-08-25T22:00:09Z")
The guy from Stinky Finger is fast, but the guy from Wounded Taint is smokin’! ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/13 "2006-08-25T22:02:12Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] See my post upthread regarding Immortal. They _have_ to count. [/QUOTE] Not if the OP is very strict about limiting it to death metal drummers. Immortal is probably on record as the fastest band ever, but they definitely only played black metal. The fasting drumming I know of comes from the drum machine in Anaal Nathrakh, but I don’t think they count here. ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/14 "2006-08-25T22:04:45Z")
[QUOTE=pool] Joey Jordison from Slipknot is very tight and impressive, I wonder if being 5’3’’ helps or hinders? The drummer from Avenged Sevenfold is very good as well. Its amazing to see how double bass has evolved from straight runs to being much more complex in nature. [/QUOTE] I agree re: Joey from Slipknot. Regardless of what I think of the band pure unadulterated suckage he is a legitimate powerhouse of a drummer too bad he has to share space in the mix with clowns scratching turntables and beating on oil drums and his double-kick work is extremely fast and precise. ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/15 "2006-08-25T22:05:13Z")
[QUOTE=Eleusis] Not necessarily… he’s looking for measured speed, there is a factual answer. [/QUOTE] Oooo I just realized the rules are ambiguous on this point! I’ve posted a thread about it here: [http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7716897#post7716897](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=7716897#post7716897) -FrL- ---
**Author:** ![OneCentStamp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/13edae/32.png) [@OneCentStamp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OneCentStamp)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/16 "2006-08-25T22:07:36Z")
[QUOTE=ultrafilter] Not if the OP is very strict about limiting it to death metal drummers. Immortal is probably on record as the fastest band ever, but they definitely only played black metal. [/quote] I agree, but I think the same of Emperor. > [@](#): > > The fasting drumming I know of comes from the drum machine in Anaal Nathrakh, but I don’t think they count here. That’s the thing – a good drum machine can play faster and more precisely than any human. And sampled kick drum sounds cut through better and are more consistent than “live” drum sounds in a blast beat setting. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/17 "2006-08-25T22:08:49Z")
There’s a lot more black metal known on the boards than I would have imagined…and I’m alright with that. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/18 "2006-08-25T22:21:48Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] That’s the thing – a good drum machine can play faster and more precisely than any human. And sampled kick drum sounds cut through better and are more consistent than “live” drum sounds in a blast beat setting. [/QUOTE] I don’t disagree with any of that, but getting a high BPM from a drum machine just isn’t all that impressive. ---
**Author:** ![diggleblop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ac91a4/32.png) [@diggleblop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diggleblop)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/19 "2006-08-25T22:22:27Z")
Yes, there is a factual answer here. Speed can definitely be measured on bass drum kicks and snare blasts. And yes, I am looking for the fastest Death Metal Drummer ever recorded. There are people out here who record these types of records and test speed, agility and accuracy on drum kits for death metal. ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2006, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243/20 "2006-08-25T22:26:57Z")
[QUOTE=diggleblop] And yes, I am looking for the fastest Death Metal Drummer ever recorded. There are people out here who record these types of records and test speed, agility and accuracy on drum kits for death metal. [/QUOTE] Yes, but the question is whether you’re willing to accept fast drummers from other styles of extreme metal. There are at least two other major styles–black metal and grindcore–that are not death metal and feature very fast/technical playing. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-is-the-fastest-death-metal-drummer-ever/370243.md?page=2)