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Choosing a good pair of drumsticks is vitally important, as they determine how comfortable playing the drums feels.
As a metal drummer, you need sticks that will make your drums loud enough to compete with all the other instruments, but they also need to be nimble enough to play quick patterns.
Drumsticks used for metal music are typically heavier and thicker than your standard 5A drumsticks, helping you to achieve more power.
Here’s a list of a few fantastic drumstick options for metal drummers. I’ve compared them according to features, size, weight, and durability.
What are the Best Metal Drumsticks?
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Most Durable Wooden Drumsticks
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Best Sticks For Extended Reach
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Best Sticks For Durability
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Best Sticks For Speed
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Best Sticks For Versatility
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In-Depth Metal Drumstick Reviews
Promark Classic Forward Firegrain 2B
Promark Classic Forward Firegrain 2B Review
2B drumsticks are a staple option for metal drummers, as they’re some of the thickest and heaviest sticks that you can get. These 2B Firegrain sticks from Promark are an excellent choice, as they’re also incredibly durable due to the heat-tempering process that they go through.
You have a pair of sticks here that are more likely to survive multiple metal gigs than many others, and that can save you a lot of money in the long run.
They’re also quite nimble for 2B sticks, which makes them perfect for drummers that want to be able to play quick patterns around the kit with thicker sticks that still give a lot of power.
The size, along with the oval tips, accentuates ghost notes quite well, giving you plenty of articulation when playing softer notes on the snare drum.
These are an easy option to go with, as most metal drummers will love how they play and feel.
Pros
- Fire-treated to add extra durability
- Versatile stick size for different playing styles
- They look very unique
- Solid metal drumming option
Cons
- Slightly lighter than most 2B sticks, which may be a downside for some drummers
Vic Firth American Classic Metal
Vic Firth American Classic Metal Review
The Vic Firth Metal drumsticks are another popular option among metal drummers. These sticks are 17” long, giving you slightly more reach than when you use other drumsticks.
The extra reach is perfect for metal drummers who play on massive drum kits with several toms and cymbals around them. You’ll often have a few that you have to move your body forward to be able to hit, and these sticks will make playing those a bit easier.
These sticks are also quite thick, giving you a lot of power behind your strokes. With good reach and a lot of power, metal drummers will feel right at home when using them, and you’ll be able to balance loud playing with quick strokes around the kit.
Pros
- Excellent rebound
- These offer more reach compared to most other drumsticks
- Plenty of power
Cons
- These long and heavy sticks may feel uncomfortable at first
Ahead TC Signature Series Tommy Lee
Ahead TC Signature Series Tommy Lee Review
These sticks were designed with the help of Tommy Lee, who is the drummer for Motley Crue – one of the first metal bands to make it big in the 80s. These durable Ahead TC Signature Series drumsticks were created to be a lot more durable than standard sticks, and it’s mainly thanks to the aluminum-core design.
You get a few metal material drumsticks out there, but they’re all very bad for your joints due to them not allowing vibrations to transfer through them easily. These sticks are a better solution to that, as they have a reduced vibration design to help prevent injuries.
They won’t last forever, as the sleeves will need replacing, but it takes a lot longer for them to break compared to sticks made from wood.
Apart from durability, you get incredible volume from them. They’re the heaviest sticks on this list, so you can use them to play the drums seriously loud.
Finally, they have shaft covers that help with grip. These are especially useful for live gigs where your hands sweat and risk you dropping your sticks.
If you don’t want to use these for live gigs, you could use them as metal practice drumsticks.
Pros
- Some of the most durable drumsticks available
- Designed to be easy on your joints
- Very loud and powerful sticks
- You can replace the shaft covers and tips
Cons
- Expensive compared to most other drumsticks
Promark TXMHW Series Matt Halpern Signature
Promark TXMHW Series Matt Halpern Signature Review
These signature sticks from Matt Halpern are highly unique. His playing style involves wide arm movements, and the sticks were designed to bring the most out of the drums at the end of those movements. That’s why the tips are heavier than normal, along with the taper being very short.
The Promark TXMHW Series sticks are 2B in size, but they feel closer to 5B sticks when you play the drums with them. You get the benefit of power from the thickness, but they’re light enough to feel very comfortable when playing quick patterns. This makes them incredible sticks for speed in metal settings.
The larger tips also bring out more tone from the drums when you strike them, which is another subtle difference that sets these sticks apart from many others. They’re an excellent option to have in your stick bag.
Pros
- Thick sticks that are easy to play with
- Wider surface area from the tips creates warmer tones from the drums
- Plenty of volume
Cons
- The varied balance may be uncomfortable for drummers who are used to standard 2B sticks
Vater Power 5B
Vater Power 5B Review
These Vater Power 5Bs are a very safe option to go with. They’re guaranteed to work well for metal, but they also work well for other styles of music as well. This makes them an excellent choice for drummers who play a wide range of different music with various bands.
They’re fairly heavy but nearly as heavy as most of the sticks on this list. This makes them slightly more versatile, and it also allows you to hit the drums hard without worrying about getting too much volume or force.
The lighter weight also makes them great for speed drumming, which is often what you want for certain styles of metal.
Pros
- Affordable
- Highly versatile
- Plenty of power for metal drumming
- Good for hard hitters
Cons
- Not as heavy as some metal drummers would like
Drumsticks for Metal Buying Guide
While any drummer can use any type of drumsticks for various styles, there are certain stick properties that lend a lot better to the aggressive drumming styles within metal music.
It’s a good idea to choose those sticks to play with, as other sticks may break a lot quicker or not produce enough volume from your drums.
Thankfully, most drumsticks are inexpensive, so it’s a good idea to try multiple pairs until you find the ones that best fit your preferences.
Features to Look Out for in the Best Metal Drumsticks
Size
The two measurements that you should look at when determining stick size are length and diameter. The length of the drumsticks will play a huge role in how they feel, with most sticks being between 16” and 17”.
The standard length for sticks is 16”, but it’s often better to use longer drumsticks for metal, as they give you more reach and power. If you have a huge drum kit setup, longer sticks will make it easier to play around the kit.
Diameter refers to how thick the drumsticks are. Thicker sticks are typically better for metal drummers, as they also give more power behind your strokes.
The other benefit of thicker sticks is that they’re more durable in most cases. As a hard-hitting metal drummer, you want durable sticks that will survive multiple gigs.
Weight
The weight of the drumsticks also determines how they feel when playing. Typically, thicker sticks will be heavier, but you also get stick designs where the material is denser.
If you want volume and power, it’s ideal to use heavy drum sticks. However, you lose a bit of speed as the sticks get thicker. So, you need to find a balance.
Unfortunately, the weight of the drumsticks isn’t always listed when you’re buying them, so it’s good to try them out yourself to feel how heavy they are, or you should see what other people say about them when buying online.
Material
Different materials affect how heavy drumsticks are, as well as the sounds that they produce when playing the drums.
This isn’t the biggest factor to consider, as the length and thickness will always determine the main qualities of drumsticks.
However, you should stay away from maple sticks if you’re getting them to play metal music. Maple sticks are a lot lighter than standard hickory sticks, giving them less power.
I’d also suggest steering clear of pure metal drumsticks that companies advertise to be indestructible. While they don’t break, they have more potential to hurt you than wooden or partially metal sticks have.
Drumsticks for Metal FAQs
Are Heavy Drumsticks Better?
It depends on the drummer using them and what their preferences are. Heavy sticks tend to be better for getting power behind your strokes with less physical effort, but some metal drummers prefer to use lighter sticks to make it easier to play quick drum parts.
All drumsticks are designed for various purposes, and it’s up to drummers to figure out what the best fit is for their playing style and the music they play.
Are Metal Drumsticks Bad for Technique?
Some companies make metal drum sticks that will never break, making them sound like attractive purchases that will save you a lot of money. However, they’re not good for your hands, wrists, and fingers.
With standard drumsticks, you get vibrations that transfer through your hands and arms after striking the drums. With pure metal drumsticks, those vibrations stop at the sticks, and that puts a lot of strain on your wrists over time. Using these frequently can lead to bad repetitive stress injuries.
What Stick Brand Do Metal Drummers Use the Most?
A lot of metal drummers were using Ahead drumsticks in the 80s and 90s. But nowadays most modern metal drummers use Vic Firth, Vater and Pro Mark sticks.
There are several popular stick brands out there, and each one has a large artist roster that includes many metal drummers. The top brands all offer plenty of thicker and heavier drumstick options.
