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Aggressive cymbals do pretty much exactly what it says on the tin - that is provide cutting, powerful sounds to slice through layers of guitar at high volume. If this is where your gig is at, then this type of cymbal is ideal.
When investing in a noisy set of metals, however, make sure that the rest of your kit matches the cymbals in intensity, because if the cymbals are too loud and wipe out the sound of the rest of your drums then you won’t be getting too many calls.
Be aware, though, that the trade-off for the sort of extreme performance you get from an aggressive cymbal is a shortening of versatility.
Although that heavy 24" monster ride might be just the ticket to cut through a sizeable wall of Marshall stacks on a full stage, in the pokey back room of the Red Lion it could be a little overwhelming, particularly if it’s jazz/funk night. You have been warned.
These cymbals have been designed to deliver brutal amounts of volume and also withstand punishment. This means that they are heavier than regular cymbals so quite apart from the fact of lugging them around, they also require a fairly physical action to actually play.
You would also be extremely unwise to expose yourself to the volume levels that such cymbals generate on a regular basis without investing in some good hearing protection too.
Here’s our guide to buying the best…
