10 Best Metal Drummers Of All Time
4. Vinnie Paul
As the 90's got underway, being in a metal band really wasn't that cool. Unless your name was Metallica, a heavy metal band that would make it big seemed almost unheard of. Then something started bubbling out of Texas that brought metal back from the edge.
Across Pantera's career, Vinnie Paul was a true original with his lyrical drum work. While his contemporary drummers were trying to showcase their speed in every song, Vinnie understood the power behind a solid, four-on-the-floor rhythm that made each Pantera song irresistible. A song like "Cowboys From Hell" has a harsh vocal delivery from Phil Anselmo and a disturbing solo from Dimebag Darrell, but Vinnie's drumming plows up the middle and automatically makes your body move. It's like taking the harshest metal riff in the world and then teaching it how to swing like an old blues song.
Vinnie Paul's unique approach to drumming left an indelible legacy on the hard rock of today. Whereas most drummers try to blow your head off with every fill, Vinnie Paul taught a generation of drummers how to make people's heads bang.