Various Artists

The drummers of rock 'n' roll lore are either dead (Cozy Powell, John Bonham), notorious chick-magnet partyers (Tommy Lee), or both (Keith Moon, Benny Benjamin). The drummers on Drum Nation Volume 3are none of the above. But they are some of the heaviest hitters in metal and hard rock today, pounding out pummeling double-bass rhythms and ceaseless cymbal fills for bands like As I Lay Dying, Killswitch Engage, Dillinger Escape Plan, and Soulfly. The CD consists of original instrumental tracks built around elaborate rhythms, and it's a treat for people who like the songs that go boom and appreciate the powerful artistry and rudimentary precision behind drumming, but there are a few tracks that stand out. Lamb of God drummer Chris Adler does a phenomenal job on "The Near Dominance of 4 Against 5," where his relentless rhythms, head-snapping snares, and knee-cracking cymbals wind through a timing chain maze that not even Metallica's . . . And Justice for Allcould navigate. Shadows Fall drummer Jason Bittner's machine-gun double bass drumming and crashing symbols give "Instr." an old Iron Maiden flavor, and Unearth drummer Michael Justice's "Weak Would" boasts some impressive fills, as well as verbal beatbox percussion, combined with a thumping tom-tom breakdown. There's just no better way to get a migraine than that.