Dave Lombardo evokes awe among fans of all sounds heavy. As the founding drummer for Slayer, the Cuban American revolutionised the use of double bass and speeding complexity on thrash landmarks like 1986’s Reign In Blood. Lombardo’s résumé outside of Slayer both reinforces and disrupts his thrash legacy. While he’s unleashed ferocious metal with Grip Inc. and Testament, he’s also explored experimental music in Fantômas and Mr. Bungle. In 2023, Lombardo released his first solo album, Rites of Percussion, a foray into global fusion informed by his cultural roots in Latin rhythms.