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When getting a snare drum for metal, it’s essential to have something that competes with all the other instruments and vocals in your band. With distorted guitars and screeching vocal lines, your snare drum needs to have enough body and projection to cut through and be heard.
While you can tune most snare drums to sound this way, some are a lot easier to work with than others.
I’ve compiled a list of some of the best options for metal drummers. Each snare I’ll suggest is a highly reliable option, and I’ve compared them all according to sound quality, design, build quality, and overall value.
What are the Best Snare Drums for Metal?
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Best Overall
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Best High-end Pick
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Most Versatile
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Best Signature Pick
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Best Small Metal Snare
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Best Budget Pick
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How I Tested and Selected the Best Snare Drums for Metal
I’ve toured and recorded with metal bands, and I’ve had the opportunity to play dozens of snare drums through that experience.
Whenever I pick a snare drum, I want it to be versatile for a wide range of musical styles, including metal. Many snare drums I’ve played work exceptionally well for heavy music.
The main things I look for are always volume and power. The snare drum needs to be loud enough to compete with distorted guitars and intense vocals.
I’ll also look at features, seeing what makes the snare drum stand out and how those features affect its performance.
Finally, I’ll look at value, comparing the cost of the snare to similar options and seeing how the sound quality, features, and playability make it a favorable option.
In-Depth Reviews
Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel Snare Drum
Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel Snare Drum Review
The Big Black Steel is one of the more popular options in Tama’s affordable line of S.L.P. snare drums.
This thing has a huge reputation for sounding like a shotgun when you hit it hard, and that’s exactly what many metal drummers are looking for. The tone comes from a 1mm steel shell.
I love how the sounds are aggressive and penetrating, especially when I play rimshots. The 2.3mm Steel Mighty hoops are a big contributor!
I found that you’ll get the best sounds out of this snare when you tune it low or medium, as high tunings can start sounding a bit strange with such a deep body. I wouldn’t recommend it for drummers who crank their snare drums tightly, as there are better options out there.
A massive selling point for this snare is its low price tag. It sounds just as good as snare drums that cost close to $1000 if you tune it properly, so the fact that you only pay a few hundred dollars for it is mind-blowing.
The black nickel hardware accents the black shell very nicely, and the overall appearance makes this snare fit like a glove in any drum kit setup.
Pros
- Plenty of volume with a cracking rimshot sound
- Sounds best with low to mid tuning
- Easy to tune
- Incredible value for its price
Cons
- Seriously heavy, so it can be tricky to carry it around
Gretsch USA Bell Brass Snare Drum
Gretsch USA Bell Brass Snare Drum Review
If you’ve never seen or heard of the Gretsch USA Bell Brass snare, you’re in for a treat. This is, without a doubt, one of the best-sounding snare drums available. It has a wide tuning range that makes it fit well in any style, but the projection that comes from the 3mm brass shell is ideal for metal drummers.
I’ve tested out a few tunings with this snare, and I’m mightily impressed by the results. Not to mention how easy it is to tune as well.
When you tune this snare drum low, it sounds large and thunderous. When it’s tuned high, it’s cracking and punchy. Both work well for various sub-genres within metal. It sounds excellent when playing slow breakdown beats as well as quick blast beats.
One of the standout features of the snare drum for me is how well it performs in live venues. It has the power to bring an entire drum kit to life, making it a valuable piece of any drum set.
The die-cast hoops help with those strong rimshots that all metal drummers play, and the 42-strand snare drum wires give softer strokes plenty of body and depth.
If you’re looking for the best snare drum possible, I highly recommend this one. Just note that you’ll be paying over $1000 for it. That’s a huge amount of money for a single snare drum.
Pros
- One of the best-sounding snare drums on the market that is mass-produce
- Strong rimshot sounds from the die-cast hoops
- Easy to control the overtones
- Very versatile
Cons
- Costs over $1000, which is a lot for a single snare drum
Ludwig LM400 Supraphonic Snare Drum
Ludwig LM400 Supraphonic Snare Drum Review
If you’re a drummer who plays metal, along with other styles of music, you can never go wrong with a Ludwig Supraphonic. These snares have been around for decades, and they’ve been used to record every style of music under the sun.
I’ve recorded a few albums using a Supraphonic snare drum, as every studio engineer I’ve worked with seems to own one due to its versatility.
The aluminum shell produces top-tier tones that just sound good in any style you hear them in. It’s a snare drum that every drummer should have in their collection. For the sake of this list, it’s the best choice for drummers who don’t want to specialize too hard in picking a snare that caters primarily to metal music.
I’m recommending the LM400 version that has a depth of 5”. It has tighter cracking tones than its larger LM402 counterpart, making it work a bit better for fast metal grooves that need to cut through a mix.
With Supraphonics being so popular, you’ll also have no problem selling this snare if you ever need to. It’s a fantastic investment.
One thing to note is that all the new Supraphonics being sold don’t quite match the tonal quality of the vintage ones. Some vintage drums just perform better, and that’s definitely the case with the Supraphonic snare drums.
Buying a new one is far more reliable, though.
Pros
- Good snare drum option for drummers that play metal as well as other styles
- Insanely good resale value due to its popularity
- Highly versatile
- Epic tones in every tuning
Cons
- New Supraphonics often don’t sound as good as vintage ones
Pearl Matt Halpern Signature Snare Drum
Pearl Matt Halpern Signature Snare Drum Review
If you play in a heavy band with rocking instruments and you need a cutting snare drum, you’ll love the Pearl Matt Halpern signature. You’ll appreciate it even more if you’re a big Periphery fan.
This is a fantastic snare drum option for drummers who play loud music with dense and aggressive instrument parts because it cuts through with ease.
I found the 1.5mm brass shell to produce a fantastic sound. When playing this drum, I feel it produces an amazing tone and it offers an incredible projection.
It’s just one of those snares that will make people look twice whenever you play it.
It had a deep but incredibly bright tone when I dug into it, yet it was surprisingly responsive to dynamics as well. The triple vent holes into the drum undeniably help out with the loud projection.
The Pearl Mastercast die-cast hoops are the other aspect of the snare that enhances its tone. Rimshots sound especially strong and punchy on this drum!
Additionally, the Click-Lock snare throw-off is an amazing feature. It feels very secure and durable, and it only turns the snare wires on or off once it clicks into place. On the subject of hardware, The low-mass STL swivel lugs are also another top-quality build feature.
Overall, this Matt Halpern signature snare is an incredible option for metal drummers, but it’s also a fantastic option for other heavy styles like rock and punk.
Pros
- Premium build features including MasterCast hoops and Click-Lock snare throw-off
- Perfect snare drum for metal and rock music - it is loud
- Sounds great tuned either low, medium or high
- Includes pro-level Evans heads on batter and resonant sides
Cons
- Has a pretty high price tag, and it might be too loud for some
Mapex Black Panther Design Lab Warbird Snare Drum
Mapex Black Panther Design Lab Warbird Snare Drum Review
Another signature snare drum, this model was made with the help of Chris Adler, who is the drummer for Lamb of God. It was made by a metal drummer for metal drummers, but the tones tend to suit gospel music very well too.
The Mapex Black Panther Design Lab Warbird Snare Drum is far smaller than the other snare drums on this list, having a diameter of 12”.
I loved how the smaller body produced cracking tones. It had a major pop to every stroke, and I know many drummers who are in love with that sound.
It will definitely cut through mixes far quicker than all the other snare drums we’ve looked at.
It has all the best features that Mapex offers in their high-end snare drums. This includes the SONIClear bearing edges and 2.3mm Sonic Saver hoops. Both ensure that you get the best tones possible, and the snare drum feels great to play.
The smaller size just stops you from being able to get low and beefy tones. You should only consider this snare drum if you want high and cracking ones. Otherwise, you should look for something a bit more versatile.
Pros
- Great for using as a main or secondary snare drum
- Trick Multi-Step throw off offers different snare tension options
- Beautiful shell design
- High-quality stock drumheads
Cons
- The small shell size stops it from being versatile
Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum
Ludwig Supralite Snare Drum Review
While the Ludwig Supralite doesn’t quite have the same reputation as the Supraphonic, it’s just as valuable of a snare drum option, especially for drummers with a lower budget.
Ludwig originally released this snare drum with a packaged bundle for beginners, but drummers quickly realized that it produced sounds that were more than good enough for professional gigs.
The snare drum then became a staple option for drummers wanting the most affordable metal snare drum possible that still sounds high-quality.
I was surprised by how loud the steel shell was, and the power and projection it offered were fantastic.
With a depth of 6.5”, you can also play around with different tuning ranges, and all of them sound great.
It doesn’t have as much depth to its tones as a Supraphonic has, but that’s not something people tend to think about when they’re blasting on it and having a good time with their bandmates.
I’d just suggest changing the stock batter head as soon as you get it, as the one that comes with it is very poor.
Overall, this snare drum has value that is very hard to beat, and I don’t know of any other brand that offers such a good snare at this price point.
Pros
- Designed as an entry-level snare, but works well for experienced drummers
- Very affordable for a steel snare drum
- Wide tuning range
Cons
- It can be a bit tricky to tune this snare drum well
Best Snare Drum for Metal Buying Guide
The best snare for metal will be one that you tune well to cater to the style. Certain shell qualities make it a bit easier, which is why it’s common for metal drummers to gravitate toward specific snare drum options.
While you could just go looking for the loudest snare drum available, you also need to take tones, build features, and value into account.
All the snares I mentioned above are excellent options, but knowing a bit more will help you pick one or two that suit you best.
What Makes a Snare Drum Good for Metal
- Snares for metal need to have enough volume and projection to be heard over a dense mix of instruments.
- They should always have very strong rimshot sounds to add aggression to the music.
- They need to be durable, as metal drummers tend to hit harder than most.
- They should cater to a wide range of sub-genres within metal, as most drummers don’t just stick with one.
Features to Look Out for in a Heavy Metal Snare
Shell Material
Shell material is the biggest feature to look at when picking a snare drum for metal. Your two main choices are between a wood or a metal snare, with metal snares often being the better option for metal drummers.
They’re a lot louder, so they tend to fit the style better. There are a few different metals that get used for snare drums, including steel, copper, brass, aluminum, and titanium.
Out of all of those, steel and brass tend to be the most common. Each metal offers slightly different tonal qualities, but all of them project a lot more than wooden snare drums.
If you get a wooden snare drum, make sure it has counterhoops that tighten up the rimshot sounds to make them punchier. Some brands offer die-cast hoops, while others create their own hoops that have similar qualities.
Shell Hardware
There are so many components that form part of a snare drum. Looking at each one will give you an overall idea of how good a particular snare drum is and what it offers in terms of playability.
The main things to look at are the throw-off, counterhoops, snare wires, and bearing edges. You don’t need to worry about bearing edges when getting a metal snare, but they’re important with wooden shells.
Some throw-offs are very straightforward, while others offer neat features that help alter the tones of the snare drum a bit.
The counterhoops will affect how the snare drum feels to play when you hit rimshots and cross-sticks. You’ll be whacking a lot of rimshots in metal drumming, so it’s a vital feature to check out.
Shell Size
You need to look at diameter and depth when looking at the size of a snare drum. The diameter will typically tell you how wide of a tuning range a snare drum has, while the depth will tell you how much resonance and projection it has.
However, the overall size is the biggest telling point. Smaller snare drums will have higher pitches, while larger snare drums will sound beefier.
When picking a snare drum for metal, you could go either way. Small snare drums are great for certain metal styles where you want a tight sound that sits on top of the mix.
Larger snare drums are fantastic for metal styles where you’ll have a bit of space between all your snare drum strokes.
Drumheads
The last thing to think about is your batter head. You don’t need to worry too much about resonant heads at first, as all resonant heads that come with snare drums are fairly good.
Some snare drums come with terrible batter heads, though. If you’re going give your snare drum a beating at every metal concert, the chances are high that the stock head won’t last too long anyway.
It’s always a good idea to buy a new batter head along with your new snare drum. You’ll get much better tonal quality out of the shell, and a 2-ply head will be more durable than any single-ply head that comes with a new snare.
Best Snare for Metal FAQs
What Snare Brands Do Metal Drummers Use?
You’ll find metal drummers use every brand available, as there are amazing snare drum options being made by all the major companies.
However, the metal drumming community seems to be especially fond of Tama, Mapex, and Pearl. I’ve seen more metal drummers playing those brands than any others.
How Many Snare Drums Do You Need for Metal Music?
You essentially only need one snare drum to use. However, the joy of snare drums is that each one offers something slightly different in terms of how it sounds and feels to play. It’s a great idea to have a few different snare drums to use for various gigs.
Are Metal or Wood Snares Better for Heavy Music?
Metal snare drums will always be ideal, as they’re much louder and offer more aggressive sounds. However, there’s nothing wrong with using a wooden snare drum for heavy music. You’ll just need to hit it harder to get the same amount of projection.
