Drumming Archives - Vance West

Alex Bent – Best Metal Drumming Performance of 2025

Alex Bent’s drumming on Trivium’s Struck Dead EP is the best metal drumming performance of 2025 When a band as seasoned as Trivium drops a new release, expectations are high. Yet with Struck Dead, released October 31, 2025, they didn’t just meet them — they soared. At the heart of…

Mikkey Dee – The Unsung Architect of Progressive Metal Drumming

Mikkey Dee has carved out a legacy that shaped the evolution of progressive and metal drumming in ways few fully recognize. When conversations turn to influential drummers in the metal world, names like Neil Peart, Mike Portnoy, and Tomas Haake often dominate the spotlight. Yet quietly—and powerfully—Mikkey Dee has carved…