My Take
Dave Lombardo might just be the greatest heavy metal drummer who ever lived, and I don't say that lightly. The man co-founded Slayer and played on Reign in Blood — a record so brutally precise and relentless that it rewrote what drums were even allowed to do in a metal context. His double-bass work had this almost inhuman evenness to it, yet it never felt mechanical; there was genuine fury behind every hit. What makes him even more impressive in my eyes is the life he's built after Slayer: jumping between Fantômas, Dead Cross, Mr. Bungle, and the Misfits, proving he's not a one-genre wonder but a flat-out world-class musician comfortable across noise rock, avant-garde, and hardcore. Born in Havana and raised in Los Angeles, there's something quietly remarkable about a Cuban immigrant becoming one of the defining architects of American thrash metal.
Overview
David Lombardo (born February 16, 1965) is a Cuban-American drummer, best known as a co-founding member of the thrash metal band Slayer. He currently plays drums with Fantômas, Dead Cross, Mr. Bungle, Empire State Bastard, and Misfits. Lombardo previously played drums on nine Slayer albums, including Reign in Blood (1986) and Christ Illusion (2006).
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Dave Lombardo
- Name (Japanese)
- デイヴ・ロンバード
- Reading
- でいゔ・ろんばーど
- Born
- February 16, 1965 (age 61)
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Aquarius / Snake
- Origin
- Havana, Havana Province, Cuba
- Blood type
- Private
- Height
- Private
- Agency
- Private
- Occupation
- drummer / musician / session musician / percussionist
2. Background
- Elementary school
- Private
- Junior high
- Private
- High school
- South Gate High School
- University
- Private
3. Relationships
- Spouse
- Private
- Children
- Private
- Parents
- Private
- Siblings
- Private
4. Personality
Motto
Private
6. Links
7. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public items are marked "Private / Unknown". English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.