Blast Beat - History

History

The English band Napalm Death coined the term "blast beat", though this style of drumming had previously been practiced by others. Daniel Ekeroth argues that the blast beat was first performed by the Swedish D-beat group Asocial on their 1982 demo. D.R.I. ("No Sense"), Sepultura ("Antichrist"), S.O.D. ("Milk"), Sarcófago ("Satanas"), and Repulsion also included the technique prior to Napalm Death's emergence. Blast beats originated in performances by jazz drummers of the 1950s, 60s and 70s such as Tony Williams, Angelo Spampinato, and Sunny Murray, in particular his 3/28/1965 Greenwich Village recording of "Holy Ghost" with Albert Ayler. Allmusic contributor Thom Jurek credits Williams as the "true inventor of the blastbeat" in 1979. In 1969 the band Attila used a blast beat on their song "Brain Invasion" starting at the 2:04 mark and lasting for about eight seconds. Blast roots in hardcore punk can be traced to recordings such as D.R.I's "No Sense" on their first EP (1983) and Beastie Boys "Riot Fight" on their first EP, Pollywog Stew. Other examples include Heart Attack, Cryptic Slaughter and Lärm.

A major influence on the evolution of the blast beat was Napalm Death's drummer Mick Harris. Harris started using it as a fundamental aspect of Napalm Death's early musical compositions. The original use in metal music is generally attributed to Igor Cavalera (Sepultura), Mike Browning (Morbid Angel, Nocturnus), D.D. Crazy (Sarcófago), Dave 'Grave' Hollingshead (Repulsion) and Charlie Benante (Anthrax, SOD). Benante showcased the technique by a double-handed blast beat in the track "Milk" on the SOD album Speak English or Die, later played single-handed on the live album Live at Budokan. Although even earlier usage dates back to demos by Death from 1984, with drummer and vocalist Kam Lee showcasing usage in songs such as Reign Of Terror and Curse Of The Priest. Members from Repulsion (back when they were known as Genocide) temporarily joined Death in 1985, so it's been speculated that they started their trademark widespread usage after first hearing it during their short tenure with Death.

Blast beats eventually appeared in commercially successful metal music, beginning with Slipknot's album Iowa.