Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan left a noted body of work before his untimely passing in 2009. Avenged Sevenfold combine aggression with melody and soaring hooks, which are given life in The Rev’s drumming. He had a feel for the arena rock sway while maintaining his hard-hitting aspects. Sullivan also developed his signature drumming sound with what he wittingly called ‘the double ride thing.’ It was a technique used during fast tempos where he would double up between the kick drums and the ride cymbal to give the band a deeper, cutting sound to their music.

System of a Down burst onto the metal scene with their politically driven lyrics and spastic songwriting. The band has never shied away from their unpredictable nature, embracing their disjointed aspects as something they could call their own. Drummer John Dolmayan seems to have the most fun with this, as he is free to throw in any sort of influences he had multiple times within songs. His sense of groove combined with his off-the-handle madness helped System of a Down become a major force in metal.

Jimmy ‘The Rev’ Sullivan or John Dolmayan? Cast your vote for the Greatest Metal Drummer in the poll below! Voting for this round closes on Sunday, Aug. 25 at 11:59PM ET. Fans can vote once per hour, so keep coming back to make sure that your favorite metal musician wins!