Immortal Rites Death-Metal Speed Study — Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel) Drum Lick | MetalForge
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Learn the Immortal Rites Death-Metal Speed Study drum lick by Pete Sandoval of Morbid Angel. From Immortal Rites (Altars of Madness (1989)). "Immortal Rites" opens Altars of Madness and immediately announces the ferocious speed that earned P...
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1. Pete Sandoval's Signature Licks — "Immortal Rites" opens Altars of Madness and immediately announces the ferocious speed that earned Pete Sandoval the nickname "Commando" and a reputation as one of the fastest drummers in the world. The track is a sustained display of blast-beat velocity and double-bass intensity, and it demands exactly the endurance and control Sandoval became famous for. His signature is the ability to maintain blistering blasts and double bass for entire songs without breaking down — a stamina built on efficient, repeatable motion rather than brute force. In his solo and drum-check footage, that raw speed is on full display: the hands and feet move at extreme velocity yet stay even and controlled, which is the real lesson behind his playing. For drummers, treating "Immortal Rites" as a study targets the hardest part of extreme drumming — sustaining speed. It develops blast-beat endurance, fast and even double bass, and the relaxed technique needed to keep them going. The approach is patient and physical: find the fastest blast you can play completely relaxed, build endurance there with longer and longer reps, and only push the tempo once the current speed feels effortless. Sandoval himself built his speed through relentless, disciplined practice, and that is the model to follow. As the opening salvo of one of death metal's most important albums, "Immortal Rites" is a definitive study in the speed and stamina that Sandoval brought to the genre.2. Pete Sandoval Profile — Sustain blasts and double bass through efficient, repeatable motion Find the fastest blast you can play fully relaxed and build endurance there Keep the hands and feet even even at extreme velocity Extend reps gradually to build the stamina for full-song blasting Push tempo only once the current speed feels effortless
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