I agree. I mean, I often listen to my music and marvel at how important a good drummer is. You have the excessive, over-the-top talentless drummers who just go as fast as they can with no real intent. Then you have the technically proficient metal drummers who mix it up and blow your mind.
One of my favourite drummers at the moment is Martin Axenrot, of Opeth. He has a great ability to play traditional metal melodies as well as mix it up with more complex rhythms.
But I always feel that a great drummer is more crucial to a good metal band than its singer or guitar player imo.
Opeth are sh*t. They started out alright but have become like Dimmu Borgir - generic crap for teenybopper try-hard scene metallers.
Also, in terms of metal - I f**king hate blast beats. Just because you bash the kit as fast and powerfully as possible doesn't mean sh*t, idiot. Actually, it does mean something. It means you're a braindead f**ktard who has no feel for music. I couldn't give a sh*t how fast you can go, dickhead, you still suck.
Good metal drumming has its foundations in a rock beat. Rock beats have groove, funk, soul - they have feeling. Hold your beat and throw in little alterations when it suits the music. Feel the tempo and mix it up when the song needs it. It's simple enough - if you have a brain and a heart that can feel metal.
I hate people.
