Midterms in the U.S. are over now, but the voting isn’t done. Don’t worry: this particular election is more fun.

Or less awful?

Music Radar is taking votes for its annual best-metal-drummer award. Crowning a “best” musician in any genre is always a thankless, ultimately fruitless, and sometimes downright dangerous endeavor, but none of us semi-evolved simians can resist a list for long. MR’s candidates are more hit than miss at least, a good mix of legendary and new(ish) shredders, so we tip our sticks to that.

Did your fav player make the cut? I voted for Brann Dailor…because I’m quite old I suppose but also because he’s super amazing and I’ve lately been thinking quite a lot about Mastodon, the namesake band of a certain decentralized Twitter alternative. Voting ends on November 20, 2022.

Candidates for Best Metal Drummer of the Year

• Art Cruz – Lamb of God
• Ben Gordon – Parkway Drive
• Brann Dailor – Mastodon
• Casey Grillo – Queensrÿche
• Charlie Benante – Anthrax
• Charlie Engen – Five Finger Death Punch
• Christoph Schneider – Rammstein
• Dan Searle – Architects
• Daniel Erlandsson – Arch Enemy
• Danny Carey – Tool
• Dave Turncrantz – Russian Circles
• Dirk Verbeuren – Megadeth
• Eloy Casagrande – Sepultura
• Fabio Alessandrini – Annhihilator
• Jay Weinberg – Slipknot
• Jon Larsen – Volbeat
• Marco Von Allmen – Zeal & Ardor
• Mario Duplantier
• Matt Alston – Machine Head
• Matt Garstka – Animals as Leaders
• Max Portnoy – Tallah
• Michel “Away” Langevin – Voivod
• Mike Wengren – Disturbed
• Nicko McBrain – Iron Maiden
• Ray Luzier – Korn
• Thomas Haake – Meshuggah
• Thomas Hedlund- Cult of Luna
• Zack Simmons – Goatwhore
• Zyon Cavalera – Soulfly