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10. Juuso Raatikainen

– Swallow the Sun

Juuso’s drumming was one of the best parts of Shining. It’s the way he adds little blast beat twists or creates his own musical soundscapes with his playing. I love listening to it.

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9. Isaac Faulk – Blood Incantation

Isaac’s performance on Absolute Elsewhere is truly impressive. I love how he can handle softer passages just as well as incredibly heavy moments. He knows how to use blast beats without tiring the listener.

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8. Gavin Wallace-Ailsworth

– Bent Knee

Gavin is one of my favorite drummers at this point. His playing is always so damn addictive, and I think he outdid himself on Twenty Pills Without Water. I love the stop-go technique that he does so well, and the power with which he plays.

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7. Baard Kolstad – Leprous

Baard is a monster behind the kit, and in combination with Simen’s towering bass performance, he laid down some truly fantastic beats on Melodies of Atonement.

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6. Glenn Chu – Iress

Iress has so much going for them, and Glenn’s calculated, outstanding drumming is a big highlight on Sleep Now, In Reverse. I find his beats to be deeply purposeful and completely addictive.

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5. Dobber Beverly – Oceans of Slumber

Dobber can handle just about any tempo, and his work on Where Gods Fear to Speak is a testament to what an amazing drummer he is. From gothic ambience to brutal blast beats, his drums blew me away here.

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4. Konrad Zieliński – Amarok

Konrad’s drumming is classy and full of amazing fills, and in conjunction with Kornel’s pulsating bass, his skills really stayed with me.

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3. Daniel Cardoso – Weather Systems

I always knew Daniel was a great drummer, but his work on Ocean Without a Shore is truly spellbinding. Some of the biggest moments are stuck in my head simply because of his larger-than-life sound.

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2. Waltteri Vayrynen – Opeth

I was overwhelmed by Waltteri’s performance on The Last Will and Testament. With nuanced power and obvious charisma, his beats ended up being the best part of the album for me.

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** 1. Jonas Ekdahl – Evergrey **

Jonas is leaving Evergrey, and he gave us one last performance on Theories of Emptiness that exemplified his style and will make me miss him even more. His style is truly his own, and will forever be THE drum sound for Evergrey for me. Best wishes to him as he pursues a different path.

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