# Best Drum Heads for Black Metal — MetalForge **Guide URL:** https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-heads-for-black-metal ## Who This Guide Is For Black metal drummers who want to know which drum heads deliver the genre's raw, blown-out tone — and what Hellhammer, Frost, Inferno, and Daray actually use. Covers Remo Ambassador, Remo Diplomat, Evans G1, and more across all budgets. --- ## Why Black Metal Wants the Opposite of a Perfect Drum Tone Every other genre of metal chases control and a punchy, engineered attack. Black metal, at its most trve, wants none of that — raw, thin, slightly chaotic drum tone, with toms that ring wild and untamed. Hellhammer's foundational recordings with Mayhem and Frost's work across Satyricon and 1349 both rely on Remo's thinner, single-ply constructions rather than the double-ply, heavily muffled heads that dominate death metal and modern metalcore. Inferno of Behemoth and Daray of Dimmu Borgir represent black metal's more produced, symphonic wing, and lean on Evans for a still-aggressive but slightly more controlled tone. --- ## Recommended Drum Heads for Black Metal ### 1. Remo Coated Ambassador — Best Overall - **Construction:** 1-ply coated (10mil) - **Price range:** €20–€35 per head - **Best for:** The genre's foundational raw, open attack **Who uses it:** - **Hellhammer** ([/drummer/hellhammer](https://metalforge.io/drummer/hellhammer)) — Remo endorser, foundational black metal drum tone - **Frost** ([/drummer/frost](https://metalforge.io/drummer/frost)) — Remo drumheads across his Sonor SQ2 kit Black metal's closest thing to a reference head. Both Hellhammer and Frost run Remo, and the Ambassador's warm, open, single-ply character is the foundation of the genre's raw, unfiltered attack — it rings and breathes exactly as black metal wants during a sustained blast beat passage. --- ### 2. Remo Diplomat Coated — Most Authentically Raw - **Construction:** 1-ply coated (7.5mil — extra thin) - **Price range:** €18–€30 per head - **Best for:** DIY, underground black metal recordings The thinnest, most raw-sounding mainstream coated head available. A specialist choice — the Diplomat wears quickly — but for raw, underground black metal recorded in DIY conditions, its thin, trashy character is arguably more authentic than anything else. --- ### 3. Evans G1 Coated — Best for Touring/Symphonic Black Metal - **Construction:** 1-ply coated (10mil) - **Price range:** €18–€30 per head - **Best for:** Modern, produced black metal that needs touring reliability **Who uses it:** - **Inferno** ([/drummer/inferno](https://metalforge.io/drummer/inferno)) — Evans endorser, symphonic/modern black metal touring reliability - **Daray** ([/drummer/daray](https://metalforge.io/drummer/daray)) — Evans heads across symphonic black and death metal work Evans' single-ply answer to the Remo Ambassador — open and warm, with Level 360 collar for a wider, more reliable tuning range on modern touring kits. Splits the difference between raw character and manufacturing consistency. --- ### 4. Remo Ambassador Clear — Best Resonant Head - **Construction:** 1-ply clear (10mil) - **Price range:** €18–€32 per head - **Best for:** Maximum natural resonance and wash Single-ply and unmuffled, maximizing the natural ring and wash that defines black metal's atmosphere during a blast beat passage, letting the whole kit bleed together into the genre's signature wall-of-sound quality. --- ### 5. Evans Genera G1 Clear — Brightest Option - **Construction:** 1-ply clear (10mil) - **Price range:** €18–€30 per head - **Best for:** Harsher, icier attack for atmospheric/blackgaze-adjacent black metal A brighter alternative for drummers who want the harshest possible attack rather than the coated head's slight warmth — a good match for the genre's more atmospheric corners. --- ## Remo vs Evans for Black Metal **Remo:** The genre's foundational choice — Hellhammer and Frost both use Remo. Ambassador and Diplomat deliver the rawest, most open tone. **Evans:** Chosen by black metal's more produced, symphonic wing (Inferno, Daray). Level 360 collar gives more reliable tuning for global touring while staying single-ply and open. **Verdict:** Remo Coated Ambassador is the genre's true reference tone. Evans G1 Coated is the right call if you need touring-grade reliability alongside black metal's raw character. --- ## FAQ **What drum heads do black metal drummers use?** Traditional black metal drummers favor thin, single-ply heads. Hellhammer and Frost both use Remo, primarily the Coated Ambassador. Inferno and Daray, representing the genre's more produced symphonic wing, both use Evans instead. **Why does black metal use thinner drum heads than death metal?** Black metal's aesthetic prizes raw, slightly out-of-control tone over precision and durability. Single-ply heads ring more and distort more easily at volume, producing the "blown-out" character central to the genre. **Should I use coated or clear heads for black metal?** Coated is the more common choice — Remo Coated Ambassador is the genre's reference tone. Clear heads like Evans Genera G1 Clear are used by some drummers chasing an even harsher, brighter attack. **Do single-ply heads wear out faster in black metal?** Yes, especially thinner films like the Remo Diplomat. Traditional and underground black metal drummers generally accept this trade-off for the tone; touring symphonic acts sometimes lean toward Evans' slightly more durable single-ply options. **What resonant head pairs best with a raw black metal tone?** Remo Ambassador Clear is the standard pairing — single-ply and unmuffled, maximizing the natural wash and resonance central to black metal's atmosphere. --- ## Related Guides - [Best Drum Kits for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-kits-for-black-metal) - [Best Cymbals for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-cymbals-for-black-metal) - [Best Snare Drums for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-snare-drums-for-black-metal) - [Best Drum Heads for Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-heads-for-metal)