Some of my favorite heavy metal drum setups over the years have not just come from the more extreme side of things. For instance, I have always loved Nicko McBrain’s kit. While it isn’t a flashy double bass kit, it still has some redeeming qualities (namely colored cymbals!).
Another guy’s kit which has a reputation for being sick is Gene Hoglan. This is one truly sick individual. Even way back in his Dark Angel days he went with an unorthodox drum set up. With his toms at a very flat incline, things look a bit off. However, what truly puts it over the top are some of the weirder components he uses. For instance, on the Individual Thought Patterns album, he used a large mortar shell, along with a boat propeller. Now if that’s not metal, I don’t what is!
Let me know whose drumkit you’ve always been a fan of. This was just a start, I could go on forever about other guy’s kits I love. But I’ll save that for a future post.