10 Best Metal Drummers Of All Time
5. Charlie Benante
Thrash metal began in the 80's as the perfect combination of heavy metal's darkness and punk's speed and aggression. As far as drumming, nobody captured that raw attitude better than Charlie Benante.
While Anthrax were far from being the most popular thrash band, Benante's drumming was what gave the band the punk-rock attitude that was essential for thrash to survive as a genre. With today's metal bands employing fantastic blast beats, Benante's work on songs like "Indians" were the blueprint for what would become the blast beat as we know it.
Aside from his frantic metal stylings, Benante's love of hip hop music made it easy for the band to collaborate with heroes Public Enemy on their track "Bring the Noise." As a result, Benante helped invent what would come later with the rap-rock scene of the late 90's.
To this day, Anthrax continues on with stellar records like For All Kings, with Benante still firing on all cylinders. When metal started to rely on masterful technicians, Benante provided the punk craziness that helped reignite that heavy metal energy time and time again.