Best Drum Heads for Playing Heavy Metal in 2025
Metal drumming punishes drum heads harder than any other genre. Between blast beats, double bass barrages, and rimshots that could crack concrete, you need heads built to take abuse while still producing a focused, aggressive tone.
This guide covers the best drum heads for metal across snare, toms, and bass drum, with specific recommendations by subgenre and playing style.
What Makes a Drum Head Good for Metal
Not every drum head survives metal playing, and not every durable head sounds right for the genre. Here is what actually matters.
Ply Count
Double-ply (2-ply) heads are the standard for metal. Two layers of Mylar film (typically 7 mil each, totaling 14 mil) give you more attack, less sustain, and significantly better durability than single-ply options. The reduced resonance and overtones help your drums cut through distorted guitars without getting muddy.
Single-ply heads resonate more and sustain longer, which works against you in most metal contexts. The exception is certain snare applications where you want more sensitivity for ghost notes in progressive metal.
Three-ply heads exist (like the Remo Powerstroke 77) but are niche. They are extremely durable but can feel dead and unresponsive.
Coated vs. Clear
Clear heads produce a brighter, more open tone with more attack and sustain. They are the default choice for metal toms and bass drums because they cut through a loud mix.
Coated heads are warmer and drier with less sustain. On snare drums, coated heads are nearly universal in metal because they give you a focused crack without excessive ring. Coated toms can work for progressive or doom metal where you want a darker, more controlled sound.
For a deeper look at how this applies to rock drumming in general, see our guide on drum heads for rock.
Damping and Control Features
Many modern drum heads include built-in damping: control rings (Remo Pinstripe, Evans EC2), oil layers (Evans Hydraulic), or reinforcement dots (Remo Emperor X). These features reduce overtones and tighten the sound, which is exactly what you want for metal. They also save you from taping moongels all over your kit.
Tuning Still Matters
Even the best drum head sounds terrible if tuned poorly. Metal toms are typically tuned medium-low to low for that deep, punchy attack. Snare drums range from medium-tight (for crack and cut) to very tight (for blast beat articulation). Bass drums are tuned low with heavy damping for that dead, thumpy kick sound. Rob Brown from Drumeo has an excellent free tutorial on metal drum tuning that is worth watching.
Best Drum Heads for Metal Toms
Tom heads take the most variety of hits in metal, from fast fills to accented crashes. You want attack, controlled sustain, and enough low-end to fill out the mix.
Remo Emperor Clear
The Remo Emperor is a workhorse two-ply head (two 7-mil plies) with no built-in damping. It gives you a full, open tom sound with strong attack. You control the sustain through tuning and optional external damping. This is the head you will find on metal kits at rehearsal spaces worldwide because it sounds great, tunes easily, and lasts.
Available individually or as tom packs on Amazon.
Evans EC2 Clear
The EC2 uses Evans’ Sound Shaping Technology (SST), which places an edge control ring between two 7-mil plies. This reduces high overtones while preserving the fundamental tone. The result is a more focused, pre-EQ’d sound that requires less external damping. Excellent choice if you want your toms to sound good with minimal fuss.
If you are building up a full tom setup, our tom drum head guide covers sizing and tuning in more detail.
Remo Pinstripe Clear
The Pinstripe has a built-in overtone control ring around the outer edge. It produces a focused, punchy tone with short sustain, which is ideal for fast metal fills where you do not want notes bleeding into each other. Dave Grohl used Pinstripes during his Nirvana era, and they remain a staple for hard-hitting drummers.
Evans Onyx 2-Ply
The Onyx line features a frosted black coating over two 7.5-mil plies, giving them slightly more thickness than standard 2-ply heads. They produce a darker tone with increased attack and low-end response. The matte black look also fits the metal aesthetic. Built with Evans’ Level 360 Technology for consistent tuning across all lugs.
Best Snare Drum Heads for Metal
The snare is arguably the most important drum in metal. It needs to crack through walls of distortion while remaining articulate enough for ghost notes and fast patterns.
Evans Genera Dry Coated
This is the go-to metal snare head. The Genera Dry uses a single 10-mil ply with a 3-mil overtone control ring and small vent holes around the edge. The venting eliminates excess ring while keeping the head responsive. You get a dry, focused crack with excellent stick articulation. Perfect for blast beats and fast single-stroke rolls.
Remo Emperor X Coated
If durability is your top priority, the Emperor X is hard to beat. It is a double-ply head (two 7-mil plies) with an additional 5-mil reinforcement dot on the top. This head can survive extended blast beat sessions and still maintain tone. The trade-off is slightly less sensitivity than single-ply options, but for straight-ahead metal, it is a tank.
Evans UV2 Coated
Evans’ UV-cured coating is significantly more durable than traditional spray-on coatings. The UV2 uses two 7-mil plies and will outlast most other coated heads before the coating wears through. It delivers a warm, full tone with moderate attack. A strong choice for drummers who move between metal and other genres.
Aquarian Hi-Velocity Coated
Aquarian’s Hi-Velocity head uses their Power Dot technology with a reinforced center. It is built specifically for hard hitters and delivers a focused, powerful snare crack. The coating is durable and the head responds well at both high and low dynamics.
Best Bass Drum Heads for Metal
Metal bass drum sound is all about a tight, punchy attack with minimal sustain. Double bass drumming demands heads that respond quickly and produce a defined beater impact.
Evans EMAD2 Clear
The EMAD2 is a double-ply head with Evans’ Externally Mounted Adjustable Damping system. It comes with two interchangeable foam damping rings (thin and thick) that let you dial in exactly how much sustain you want. Most metal drummers use the thick ring for a tight, controlled thud. The double-ply construction handles the constant pounding of double bass work. Available in 18” to 26” sizes.
Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear
The Powerstroke P3 is a single-ply head with a built-in damping ring. It produces a more open bass drum tone than the EMAD2 while still controlling overtones. If you prefer a bit more resonance in your kick sound (common in doom and stoner metal), this is a solid option.
Aquarian Super-Kick II
The Super-Kick II uses two plies with a floating felt muffle ring. It produces a deep, controlled bass drum sound with excellent beater definition. The felt ring provides consistent damping without killing all the sustain. A reliable choice that has been used on countless metal recordings.
Evans EMAD Onyx
Same EMAD adjustable damping system as the EMAD2, but with a single-ply black-coated film. The Onyx coating gives it a slightly darker tone and the matte black appearance looks great on stage. The single-ply design is more responsive than the EMAD2, which some drummers prefer for faster footwork.
Best Drum Heads by Metal Subgenre
Different subgenres demand different sounds. Here is a quick breakdown.
Death Metal and Grindcore
Speed and articulation are everything. You want maximum attack and minimal sustain so every note in a blast beat is distinct.
- Snare: Evans Genera Dry or Remo Emperor X
- Toms: Remo Pinstripe Clear or Evans EC2 Clear
- Bass: Evans EMAD2 with thick damping ring
Thrash Metal
Thrash needs sharp attack with some body to the drum sound. Think Lars Ulrich’s snare crack or Dave Lombardo’s thunderous toms.
- Snare: Remo Emperor X Coated
- Toms: Remo Emperor Clear
- Bass: Aquarian Super-Kick II
Progressive Metal
Prog metal requires the widest dynamic range. You need heads that respond to both soft ghost notes and full-power hits.
- Snare: Evans UV2 Coated (versatile enough for dynamics)
- Toms: Evans EC2 Clear or Coated
- Bass: Evans EMAD2 with thin damping ring (keeps some resonance)
Doom and Sludge Metal
Low tunings, long sustain, massive tom sounds. You can get away with less damping here.
- Snare: Evans UV2 Coated (tuned lower)
- Toms: Remo Emperor Clear (no built-in damping, tune low)
- Bass: Remo Powerstroke P3 (more open resonance)
Black Metal
Raw, aggressive, often recorded with minimal production. Thin, cutting snare and fast bass drum response.
- Snare: Evans Genera Dry
- Toms: Evans EC2 Clear
- Bass: Evans EMAD Onyx
How Often Should You Change Drum Heads for Metal
Metal drumming wears heads faster than any other genre. Here are some guidelines:
- Gigging regularly (2+ shows per week): Change snare heads every 4-6 weeks. Tom heads every 2-3 months. Bass drum heads every 3-6 months.
- Practicing daily (1-2 hours): Change snare heads every 2-3 months. Tom heads every 4-6 months. Bass drum heads every 6-12 months.
- Casual playing: Change when the tone noticeably degrades or you see denting and pitting on the surface.
Signs it is time to change: the head will not hold a tune, there are visible dents or worn spots, the tone sounds flat and lifeless compared to a fresh head, or the coating has worn through to bare film.
If you are practicing at home on a drum pad to save your heads, that is a smart move. Practice pads let you work on technique without wearing through batter heads.
Mixing and Matching Brands
You do not have to stick to one brand across your entire kit. Many metal drummers run Evans on their snare, Remo on their toms, and Aquarian on their bass drum. What matters is that each head fits the sound you want from that specific drum.
That said, if you are new to choosing heads, starting with one brand’s lineup makes it simpler to build a consistent sound. Evans and Remo both have complete metal-friendly ranges.
If you are just getting into drumming and building your first kit, our beginner drum sets guide covers what to look for in a starter setup, including stock heads and when to upgrade them.
Resonant Heads Matter Too
Most guides focus on batter heads (the ones you hit), but resonant heads (bottom heads) significantly affect your drum tone. For metal:
- Toms: Use single-ply clear resonant heads (Remo Ambassador or Evans G1 Clear). These let the tom resonate enough for a full sound without excessive ring.
- Snare: A thin snare-side head (Remo Ambassador Snare or Evans Hazy 300) keeps the snare wires responsive. Thinner = more snare buzz and sensitivity.
- Bass drum: A ported resonant head (with a 4-5” hole) lets air escape for a tighter feel and easier mic placement. The Evans EQ3 with a built-in port is a popular choice.
Final Recommendations
For a complete metal kit head swap, here is what I would buy:
- Snare: Evans Genera Dry Coated for articulation, or Remo Emperor X for durability
- Toms: Evans EC2 Clear tom pack for a dialed-in sound with minimal fuss
- Bass drum: Evans EMAD2 Clear with the thick damping ring
That combination covers every metal subgenre and will hold up to heavy playing. If budget is a concern, the Remo Pinstripe tom pack and a single Aquarian Super-Kick II for your bass drum will get you 90% of the way there at a lower cost.
Whatever heads you choose, remember that proper tuning makes a bigger difference than the head itself. A cheap head tuned well will outperform an expensive head tuned poorly every time. For sticks that can match the intensity, check out our guide on drumsticks for electronic drums which covers durability and weight considerations relevant to hard-hitting styles.