It would add the required depth to the overall tone. An excellent kick drum is useful in adding a rich distinction in the song’s cadence. You must not forget that the snare must have a great clarity and snap to move your soul. So, here are the best drum sets for heavy metal music:

1. Gammon Percussion Full Size Complete Drum Set

While Gammon also offers a junior starter kit, this is a fantastic choice for the experienced adult drummers. The set includes a bass drum, floor tom, snare drum, and two mounted toms. It has also been provided with cymbals, stool, stands, sticks, pedals, drum key, and other hardware. 

It has everything you need in order to get started on an exciting drumming journey. This is a professional-sized set with a high black gloss finish. As it is long-lasting, you’ll get complete value for money with this drum set.

2. LAGRIMA Black Full Size 5 Piece Complete Drum Set

This would make for a great set if you want to ease into drumming. One of the best features of this set are that all the drums have real wood shells. Another exciting feature is that the drums have more of a glossy finish. Better elasticity and longer use is ensured with the double layer oil skin. 

The stool can be adjusted to suit your height. The drums also have a good ringing chord. All the drums have been made with good-quality materials and are quite easy to assemble. Perhaps the only downside is that the cymbals are too tiny.

3. Pearl RS525SCC706 Roadshow 5 Piece Drum Set

From starting out to becoming an intermediate player, this drum set can be your great companion. You can also develop your career or play a few weekly gigs at the local bar with them. This 5-piece drum set with cymbals can be readily set up and is known for its durability. 

The snare, bass drum, and toms have a 9-ply Poplar shell. This produces a powerful tone. You’ll have a drum throne included in the set along with chain-drive bass drum pedal. Also included are geared and locking stands. 

All stands, including the drum throne have been dual-reinforced with double-braced legs. This drum set is definitely worth your money and is absolutely sturdy. The only disappointment is that no screws have been provided for hi-hat. 

4. Yamaha Stage Custom Birch Standard Drum Kit

This is a wonderful drum set that produces great sounds. The birch drum shells have an air seal system. In terms of looks, it certainly has the elegance that makes it absolutely attractive. As expected, Yamaha lives up to its reputation for richness in instrumentation with this set as well. 

It has a good mix of snares, tom drums, kicks, and more. With a compact design, the set can be easily carried to and from the venues. The only disadvantage is that heads need to be replaced.

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One of them was Brad Gillis who became immensely successful later on with the band Nigh Ranger. Among the others were Jake E. Lee and Zakk Wylde. Both of them achieved significant successes in their careers as guitarists. The drummers of Osbourne also had great successes after their short stint with him.

Although drummers are less discussed when talking about the successes of heavy metal bands, they never go unnoticed. There were some seasoned drummers who played for Osbourne, such as Tommy Aldridge and Carmine Appice. However, the band’s percussive presence grew stronger when Randy Castillo became their drummer. 

He died at the age of 51, after succumbing to his cancer in 2002. Later, he became the subject of a documentary titled The Life, Blood, and Rhythm of Randy Castillo. It was directed by Wynn Ponder, a filmmaker based in the state of Kansas in the United States of America.

Life of Randy Castillo

The film follows the journey of Castillo from his early days, which were spent in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It then talks about Castillo’s time with an array of club bands and his move to Los Angeles. This was the city that took him to the world stage. The timing was also perfect, as it happened when rock music was at its zenith of glory. 

Also shown in this documentary are the testimonials from bandmates, such as Mike Inez and Phil Soussan. It also includes testimonials from close friends, such as Slash, Lita Ford, and many others. Lita Ford has also provided narration in the documentary.

It is through all these testimonials that one learns more about how Castillo was, as an individual. The viewers are reminded of the fact that he was a rarity in the world of rock music. Randy Castillo was a gifted musician who maintained his calm during difficult situations. It is worth noting that his time was incredibly short in the spotlight. 

Dancin’ on the Edge was his first major album and his last LP was New Tattoo with Motley Crue. Between these two albums, he gave some memorable performances as a band member of Ozzy Osbourne. He made significant contributions to their 1991 album No More Tears, which was a huge success commercially.

The transition

His bass drumming was top-notch and contributed immensely to his reputation as a consummate showman. What was not highlighted so much was his transition into the band, Motley Crue. It went into a decline commercially towards the end of the 20th century. 

Despite this, the drummer’s spot in the band was a coveted one. It was held by the band’s co-founder, Tommy Lee, until 1999. It was no small feat for Randy Castillo to grab the spot and fill in so aptly. The only disappointment was that it was such a short-lived stint.

Final days

He was diagnosed with cancer when Motley Crue was preparing for a new tour in 2000. His plans to get to the stages across the world were put on hold. He persevered even though the treatment for his cancer had nearly killed him. Eventually, he was declared cancer free. 

This turned out to be a short-lived victory as cancer returned. He had to undergo the round of treatments once again, but this time he didn’t survive. Even after so many years since his death, Castillo’s legacy has remained strong.

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Each of the styles has its own kind of rhythm, which acts as a driving force. Experimenting with a genre that’s quite unfamiliar to them can truly enhance their knowledge. So, here are the most popular drumming styles that beginners must be familiar with: 

1. Rock drumming

Rock music uses distorted electric guitars and simple melodic and harmonic structures. It is also characterized by straight 8th or 16th note grooves. They are are accompanied with strong backbeats played on the snare drum on 2nd and 4th beats. Initially, this genre attracted a younger audience owing to a sense of non-conformity and rebellion associated with it. 

Drumming in rock music involves intense and loud drum grooves. Often big fills are used to make a statement. Some of the famous rock drummers include John Bonham, Stewart Copeland, Randy Castillo, and Ginger Baker.

2. Heavy metal drumming

Power, precision, and drum speed are the three pillars of heavy metal drumming. This is why the drum kits used in heavy metal are larger in size. Growling vocals, a loud and aggressive performance, and emphatic rhythms are the major characteristics of heavy metal music. They are complemented with a dense guitar, drum sound, and bass. Heavy metal music is credited for the origin of two main features of drumming. 

They are the cymbal choke and the double bass drums. Drumming in heavy metal demands an extremely high amount of co-ordination, endurance, speed, and precision. It is, therefore, advisable for beginners to start slow and develop a proper technique. Some of the incredible drummers in heavy metal genre are Lars Ulrich, Chris Adler, and Mike Portnoy.

3. Jazz drumming

Jazz music has been heavily influenced by the blues music. In order to construct aesthetic and stylistic developments in jazz, blues served as a base. It all started in Dixieland, when the practice of playing drum sets in jazz was introduced. 

Later, this genre evolved into jazz fusion and Latin-jazz in the later part of the 20th century. ‘Swing’ is the most important feature of jazz music and it is the triplet subdivision which gives its feel. Drumming in jazz requires a method of playing percussion that’s easily adaptable. 

Earlier, the drummers in jazz heavily relied on military rudiments and beats. Today, there are new techniques and better musicianship in this genre. Among the most influential drummers in jazz are Kenny Clarke, Buddy Rich, Max Roach, and Elvin Jones. 

4. Electronic drumming

In recent times, one would come across many different styles of electronic music. They include trance, techno, drum, house, bass, and several others. Each of these styles has a rhythm unique to it. Certain styles like drum and bass use ‘breakbeat rhythms’ while many others may use ‘four on the floor’ rhythms. 

Generally, electronic music producers use drum machines or digital audio workstations (DAWs) to lay down their drum tracks. However, drummers are often called in live performances for their sound and presence. Mike Healy, Rob Chafin, and Matt Harris are some of the famous electronic drummers.

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1. John Bonham

He is considered the backbone of the hard rock band Led Zeppelin. This band had revolutionized hard rock in the late 1960s. John Bonham is known for his use of ‘triplets’ within the rhythm in a faster and harder format. Perhaps his lasting legacy is his performance on Moby Dick. 

He was arguably the most influential drummers in the history of rock music. Popularly known as ‘Bonzo’, he will always be remembered for his solos, which were mostly lengthy and improvisational.

2. Neil Peart

Many believe that the complex music of the prog-rock giant called Rush is something that only Neil could play. He was a perfectionist who was always willing to learn. The most impressive aspect of Peart’s performance on drums is that he made it look quite easy. 

He was a great showman who was technically sound and wonderfully creative, yet was always humble about his talent. Among the songs of Rush that stand testimony to Peart’s exceptional brilliance are La Villa Strangiato and YYZ. 

3. Randy Castillo

He decided to become a drummer after getting inspired by the performance of ‘The Beatles’ on a television show. Randy Castillo’s first rock band was ‘The Wumblies’. Tommy Lee, the founding member of the heavy metal band, Motley Crue, introduced Castillo to Ozzy Osbourne. 

At the time, Ozzy was looking for a new drummer and Castillo  was hired without an audition a couple of months later. He ended up staying with Ozzy and his band for 10 years. He died from cancer in 2002. His life and times were explored in a documentary film called The Life, Blood and Rhythm of Randy Castillo.

4. Keith Moon

He was an influential drummer who was a member of the rock band, The Who. Nicknamed ‘Moon the Loon’, his best performances can be seen in The Real Me and The Kids are Alright. Keith Moon was one of the most entertaining characters in the history of rock, who played fast and hard. 

He had a style of his own and seemed out of control at times. Moon’s furious drumming and on-stage antics will forever be remembered by fans of ‘The Who’.

5. Ginger Baker

He worked with Eric Clapton and Jack Bruce as a member of their rock band, Cream. In a little more than two years, he became one of the most beloved rock drummers of all time. Ginger Baker’s most memorable performances are in groundbreaking hits like Wheels of Fire, Fresh Cream, Goodbye, and Disraeli Gears. 

His dynamics and finesse couldn’t be missed as he swung his way through blues and psychedelic-rock. With Toad, he gave the world of rock the drum solo. As a true pioneer, he redefined the drum kit’s place in music.

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