12 Best Hard Rock Drum Solos
7. Stargazer - Rainbow
When you talk about the origins of power metal, you need to at least make mention of Rainbow. Ritchie Blackmore's outfit outside of Deep Purple was (along with Led Zeppelin) one of the first to take the fantasy element of hard rock to the forefront, which made for some truly epic musical moments.
Everything about a song like "Stargazer" works, but the drum intro is what hooks you into the journey we're about to go on. Performed by the late Cozy Powell, this drum part is the perfect combination of songwriting and pure muscle, as the double bass drums gradually shift in tempo as the track starts to get going. With Blackmore's guitar already providing a slow sliding descent, the drums add that extra push that make you feel like you're being pulled into the deepest depths of the Earth.
Once you can't bear it any longer, the drums finally settle into a slow descent before the main riff kicks you in the teeth. Suddenly, we're off in a far away land with Ronnie James Dio as our humble narrator telling of the destruction to come. This song has all the trappings of an epic rock track, but without the initial drum fanfare, it wouldn't be half as dramatic as it is.