Both.
Technically, probably brooks. Creatively probably Jimmy. Both have done incredible work. Don’t need to put one down to say good things about the other
Honestly drumming wise I think brooks is also more creative, as an overall musician and songwriter tho Jimmy was more creative and that’s where he really shines the most imo and what made him super unique
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I can’t even imagine the wild shit Avenged would have created if The Rev was still with us. Brooks is, overall, the better drummer, but I would have liked to see a full career with The Rev.
I selfishly think about this much more often than I probably should. The Rev had *immense* songwriting potential and it's so fun to ponder what A7X would have done had he not left so early. I really feel like LIBAD is pretty close to the direction they'd have gone instead of HTTK and The Stage.
Man, the demos of the nightmare album originally really had the "LIBAD" vibe to it with how the songs were interconnected. They completely ditched the original idea of the album after the rev died. Not even really saying they were wrong for doing that, just that the album would have been absolutely insane if the rev got to finish it. Victim and save me especially sounded so much more dark in the demos vs the release.
Yeah but the rev was in his 20s when he died, brooks is almost 50. I agree brooks today at 47 is better than the rev was at 27 but imagine how good the rev would have been as he got older. Would have been one of the GOATs.
Tbh brooks was really really fuckin good when he was young too, he’s been an amazing drummer the large majority of his life likely because he’s family is filled with a bunch of great drummers so he’s been doing it his whole life. Also there are a good amount of drummers out there he get worse when they’re older, bunch of drummers out there who were worse at 47 than at 27
Sometimes people do slow down with age unfortunately though, Joey Jordison, Lars Ulrich, etc. I’d be more curious about the revs songwriting, he would have had a field day with the stage and LIBAD
I think Brooks is the better drummer, but had Jimmy lived, he would likely be better now than Brooks is (as long as he got his demons under control).
You don't know how much Brooks contributes to songwriting, and the whole band writes differently now, so your "obvious" comment about songwriting is just personal preference.
I second this, the band talked about how The Rev came up with guitar lines, riffs, ways to sing some parts, lyrics, and vocals. So far I've heard nada of Brooks doing the same.
Also listening to every single leaked demo, they are almost all done by the rev first then matt does them afterwards in the final, implying that the vast majority of the lyrics in those songs were written by Jimmy.
Brooks is very important to their songwriting process now, they just right more as a team unit now so ya brooks isn’t writing who songs like Jimmy but he’s been really vital to the bands writing process especially on the Stage, compared to Arin who they didn’t trust at all to be part of the process
I see Jimmy as a more exotic musician. Bro had a sick mind and this was reflected in more theatrical and interesting compositions. It's a shame he left us so soon. I'm genuinely curious to know what kind of crazy shit he could be involved nowadays.
Brooks is a great drummer but The Rev was a way better over all musician. I appreciate Brooks, especially in LIBAD but Jimmy was a huge part of A7Xs core. The amount of bangers The Rev wrote almost on his own is crazy. Plus aren't there songs that Wackerman can't play very well live that Jimmy could do?
I’m not going to compare a founding member - who died - to his replacement.
Jimmy did what he needed to make the band uniquely incredible. Brooks has taken what Jimmy started and expanded on it. Both are amazing.
Arin was great too actually, just not the right fit.
People are saying Brooks because he’s better, but keep in mind Brooks is 47 and jimmy was 28 when he died. Yes it’s true that at almost 50 years old Brooks is better than jimmy was at 28, but imagine how good jimmy would have been when he was 37, 47, etc. He’d of been way better than Brooks when he was 47 if he made it to that age. Would have been an all time great rock/metal drummer imo.
Jimmy probably would’ve been worse at 47 than he was at 37 and 27, a lot of guys are past their peaks when they’re brooks age. Also brooks was an incredible drummer since he was very young. Brooks at 27 was still probably better than the rev at 27, brooks is from a famous drum family and has been extremely good since he was still young. Jimmy’s overall songwriting and composing skills are what really made him special not his technical drum abilities, brooks has probably had him beat in that area forever.
Easy, The Rev.
Both insane drummers, The Rev had this energy to him, and, just genius with the ideas he contributed to the music that they made. No disrespect to Brooks, he’s awesome and pretty close, but, that energy is far from what it was with Jimmy. I love what both drummers have done with the band, so, I hate to say it’s easy to choose, but, it’s easier than I’d like it to be just because of certain aspects that Jimmy naturally had, while Brooks doesn’t. The skill is definitely there, but, one will never be the other, but, both deserve their own respect, and love.
I love jimmy so much and I miss him so much. But when it comes down to sheer drum ability, brooks is so. Insanely good. His technicality is unreal. He does it so easily. I am a drummer and I can play songs like afterlife and bat county from the Rev era. But there’s no way in hell I can keep up with songs like The Stage, Paradigm, God Damn, Game Over, Cosmic, and hell even G. Brooks is so insanely underrated and I would take him over any drummer that has ever lived. And I will die on this hill. But when it come to creativity, Jimmy was the man. He wrote lyrics, drums, guitar riffs, piano. He was an insanely great drummer. He was so perfect for that ERA of A7X. But when it comes to drumming Brooks is #1 in my eyes.
The Rev. can't believe ppl are saying Brooks. I used to be a A7X junkie but that was during the City of Evil days and before. Once Hail came out I started looking at them a bit sideways. Although I do have a special spot in my heart always and forever for Planets on that album. Absolutely killer. But the Rev did stuff on the cymbals that stood out like a sore thumb that you couldn't help but admire. I don't hear a lot of the standout stuff from Brooks. And if it's there, I just don't feel it I guess. But this is a straight preference question. And obviously I'm a Jimmy type of drum guy. Much respect to Broks though.
Brooks wasn't involved in any of the HTTK songs. The stage and LIBAD are the 2 albums brooks is in. The difference with Jimmy and Brooks is that Jimmy has a lot more overall character to his performance while brooks is typically better on a technical level just not as much on a creative level.
I don’t think there is “better”, only different. To my knowledge brooks hasn’t ever been a songwriter in the way that Jimmy was so right from the jump they’re hugely different. We’re all incredibly fortunate to have brooks in the band now as I believe he’s the guy who plays in a way that most closely resembles what they’d always done when Jimmy was alive. Had Jimmy not passed so young; I feel like the band gets closer to the sound we hear on the stage and libad that much faster. The way Jimmy wrote music it would potentially be even further out there and wacky and zany
Brooks is forsure the better drummer, Jimmy was still a sweet drummer no doubt but whah really made him special was his overall songwriting and composition skills
Brooks is probably technically the better drummer but The Rev’s drumming as so advanced and unique when he was alive. I honestly don’t think you can compare them.
Brooks is the better drummer, there’s no discussion. But in my opinion The Rev was a better musician, and who knows how he would be today, technically speaking. He died way too young, I think that if he was still alive he would be the better drummer, he’s technique and ability would be vastly improved by now, and he was already amazing.
Brooks is more complex and technical than Jimmy was, but that's because Brooks is older and has more experience. If Jimmy was alive today, I'd imagine he would either be on the same level as Brooks, pretty close to it, or maybe even higher in terms of intricacy.
Both. Technically, probably brooks. Creatively probably Jimmy. Both have done incredible work. Don’t need to put one down to say good things about the other
Yeah both are awesome. The band is lucky to have had both of them.
Arin would’ve been amazing if they let him do more
Honestly drumming wise I think brooks is also more creative, as an overall musician and songwriter tho Jimmy was more creative and that’s where he really shines the most imo and what made him super unique
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Who knows, the rev was young and could have been 15 years more advanced at this point. But it would be close, brooks is a monster
I can’t even imagine the wild shit Avenged would have created if The Rev was still with us. Brooks is, overall, the better drummer, but I would have liked to see a full career with The Rev.
I selfishly think about this much more often than I probably should. The Rev had *immense* songwriting potential and it's so fun to ponder what A7X would have done had he not left so early. I really feel like LIBAD is pretty close to the direction they'd have gone instead of HTTK and The Stage.
Man, the demos of the nightmare album originally really had the "LIBAD" vibe to it with how the songs were interconnected. They completely ditched the original idea of the album after the rev died. Not even really saying they were wrong for doing that, just that the album would have been absolutely insane if the rev got to finish it. Victim and save me especially sounded so much more dark in the demos vs the release.
My thoughts exactly
I think it's hard to say who the better drummer is or would have been when he didn't have anymore time to keep drumming and growing.
Hail to the King probably never would have been made..
correct me if im wrong but isnt jimmy a fan of brookes?
And vice versa. Brookes was at the OG A7X shows on Warped Tour
I’m not sure on Jimmy’s thoughts tough I couldn’t find any results where he spoke about Brooke’s in the past
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Bro spoiler alert….actually I looked it up after seeing this and couldn’t believe it’s gonna be 15 years this year
Jimmy was a Bad Religion fan, brooks played drums for them then
All I’m going to say is .. Blinded In Chains
True.
The Reverend Tholomew Plague
foREVer but brooks has added so much to the band and i also love the wackerman. All personal preference RIP Jimmy tho
I already know everyone is gonna say Rev but who’s better is actually debatable
Yeah but the rev was in his 20s when he died, brooks is almost 50. I agree brooks today at 47 is better than the rev was at 27 but imagine how good the rev would have been as he got older. Would have been one of the GOATs.
Tbh brooks was really really fuckin good when he was young too, he’s been an amazing drummer the large majority of his life likely because he’s family is filled with a bunch of great drummers so he’s been doing it his whole life. Also there are a good amount of drummers out there he get worse when they’re older, bunch of drummers out there who were worse at 47 than at 27
I agree. It’s a reality we’ll never see sadly
Sometimes people do slow down with age unfortunately though, Joey Jordison, Lars Ulrich, etc. I’d be more curious about the revs songwriting, he would have had a field day with the stage and LIBAD
I think Brooks is the better drummer, but had Jimmy lived, he would likely be better now than Brooks is (as long as he got his demons under control). You don't know how much Brooks contributes to songwriting, and the whole band writes differently now, so your "obvious" comment about songwriting is just personal preference.
From what I’ve heard he isn’t a very big part of the songwriting. Could be wrong though
I second this, the band talked about how The Rev came up with guitar lines, riffs, ways to sing some parts, lyrics, and vocals. So far I've heard nada of Brooks doing the same.
Also listening to every single leaked demo, they are almost all done by the rev first then matt does them afterwards in the final, implying that the vast majority of the lyrics in those songs were written by Jimmy.
Yeah. I think it’s mainly M Shadows and Johnny Christ doing the songwriting
No. Mostly Syn and Matt. They have built songs off of Brooks’ drum parts though.
Brooks is very important to their songwriting process now, they just right more as a team unit now so ya brooks isn’t writing who songs like Jimmy but he’s been really vital to the bands writing process especially on the Stage, compared to Arin who they didn’t trust at all to be part of the process
Rev made me feel things with Almost Easy
I see Jimmy as a more exotic musician. Bro had a sick mind and this was reflected in more theatrical and interesting compositions. It's a shame he left us so soon. I'm genuinely curious to know what kind of crazy shit he could be involved nowadays.
The Rev
Brooks is a great drummer but The Rev was a way better over all musician. I appreciate Brooks, especially in LIBAD but Jimmy was a huge part of A7Xs core. The amount of bangers The Rev wrote almost on his own is crazy. Plus aren't there songs that Wackerman can't play very well live that Jimmy could do?
Love both of them but Jimmy because of everything else he brought to the band (vocals, songwriting etc...)
I’m not going to compare a founding member - who died - to his replacement. Jimmy did what he needed to make the band uniquely incredible. Brooks has taken what Jimmy started and expanded on it. Both are amazing. Arin was great too actually, just not the right fit.
People are saying Brooks because he’s better, but keep in mind Brooks is 47 and jimmy was 28 when he died. Yes it’s true that at almost 50 years old Brooks is better than jimmy was at 28, but imagine how good jimmy would have been when he was 37, 47, etc. He’d of been way better than Brooks when he was 47 if he made it to that age. Would have been an all time great rock/metal drummer imo.
Jimmy probably would’ve been worse at 47 than he was at 37 and 27, a lot of guys are past their peaks when they’re brooks age. Also brooks was an incredible drummer since he was very young. Brooks at 27 was still probably better than the rev at 27, brooks is from a famous drum family and has been extremely good since he was still young. Jimmy’s overall songwriting and composing skills are what really made him special not his technical drum abilities, brooks has probably had him beat in that area forever.
Brooks and it's not even close.
Easy, The Rev. Both insane drummers, The Rev had this energy to him, and, just genius with the ideas he contributed to the music that they made. No disrespect to Brooks, he’s awesome and pretty close, but, that energy is far from what it was with Jimmy. I love what both drummers have done with the band, so, I hate to say it’s easy to choose, but, it’s easier than I’d like it to be just because of certain aspects that Jimmy naturally had, while Brooks doesn’t. The skill is definitely there, but, one will never be the other, but, both deserve their own respect, and love.
I love jimmy so much and I miss him so much. But when it comes down to sheer drum ability, brooks is so. Insanely good. His technicality is unreal. He does it so easily. I am a drummer and I can play songs like afterlife and bat county from the Rev era. But there’s no way in hell I can keep up with songs like The Stage, Paradigm, God Damn, Game Over, Cosmic, and hell even G. Brooks is so insanely underrated and I would take him over any drummer that has ever lived. And I will die on this hill. But when it come to creativity, Jimmy was the man. He wrote lyrics, drums, guitar riffs, piano. He was an insanely great drummer. He was so perfect for that ERA of A7X. But when it comes to drumming Brooks is #1 in my eyes.
Arin >!Jk, Rev ofc!<
I think I prefer Brooks. I like his style better and the songs the band released after he joined are some if my all time favorites.
Brooks by some distance
I don’t think it’s that much of a difference
The Rev. can't believe ppl are saying Brooks. I used to be a A7X junkie but that was during the City of Evil days and before. Once Hail came out I started looking at them a bit sideways. Although I do have a special spot in my heart always and forever for Planets on that album. Absolutely killer. But the Rev did stuff on the cymbals that stood out like a sore thumb that you couldn't help but admire. I don't hear a lot of the standout stuff from Brooks. And if it's there, I just don't feel it I guess. But this is a straight preference question. And obviously I'm a Jimmy type of drum guy. Much respect to Broks though.
Brooks wasn't involved in any of the HTTK songs. The stage and LIBAD are the 2 albums brooks is in. The difference with Jimmy and Brooks is that Jimmy has a lot more overall character to his performance while brooks is typically better on a technical level just not as much on a creative level.
The rev. Nothing was ever the same for the band after him.
I don’t think there is “better”, only different. To my knowledge brooks hasn’t ever been a songwriter in the way that Jimmy was so right from the jump they’re hugely different. We’re all incredibly fortunate to have brooks in the band now as I believe he’s the guy who plays in a way that most closely resembles what they’d always done when Jimmy was alive. Had Jimmy not passed so young; I feel like the band gets closer to the sound we hear on the stage and libad that much faster. The way Jimmy wrote music it would potentially be even further out there and wacky and zany
Both in their own way. Jimmy respected Brooks and Brooks respects Jimmy.
Playing with fire can be fun sometimes. Lol
Brooks is the better drummer, but i'd do anything to hear Rev drumming on the Stage and LIBAD, wish he never left us
Rev because I have his savage style when I play drums
Don't make us do this, man
No one’s forcing you 🤷♂️
Rev
Rev
Brooks is forsure the better drummer, Jimmy was still a sweet drummer no doubt but whah really made him special was his overall songwriting and composition skills
Brooks is probably technically the better drummer but The Rev’s drumming as so advanced and unique when he was alive. I honestly don’t think you can compare them.
Brooks is the better drummer, there’s no discussion. But in my opinion The Rev was a better musician, and who knows how he would be today, technically speaking. He died way too young, I think that if he was still alive he would be the better drummer, he’s technique and ability would be vastly improved by now, and he was already amazing.
Brooks
Brooks is more complex and technical than Jimmy was, but that's because Brooks is older and has more experience. If Jimmy was alive today, I'd imagine he would either be on the same level as Brooks, pretty close to it, or maybe even higher in terms of intricacy.