We know—Djent is a sensitive subject. We get that. But honestly, who cares when you can become a one-man metal machine using drum triggers?! That's what drummer Shawn Crowder of the band Sungazer did, and we must admit: It's pretty frickin' brilliant. Not only that, it also may put guitarists out of work if it ever caught on in the mainstream (not so brilliant, but still, you gotta see this).
By applying triggers to the snare, kick drum, and hi-hats of a standard drum set, Crowder was able to recreate the signature djent sound with just the flick of his wrists (again, sorry guitarists). "One of the characteristics of djent," he notes in the video, "is that the guitar and drums are often locked together in unison rhythms," and that very stylistic-based synergy between guitar and percussion is what makes using drum triggers so enticing to would be djent-ers.
Now, we must give you a heads-up: there is a lot if technological jargon here that may sail above the heads of non-musicians. That said, the intellectual know-how featured here is on another level, and to see the music not only being utilized in a studio setting, but also live, as can be seen towards the end of the video. If you’re a fan of learning about how stuff works, this will absolutely send you on a trip!
By the way, if you’re still wondering what djent is, you should check out this recent video by Italian guitarist (who we can safely assume is not using drum triggers) Andrea Boma Boccarusso. In his mini tutorial/historical, The History of Metal, Boma analyses all styles of metal, as well as discussing new and developing trends, like djent, of which he describes as being an avant-garde variation of progressive metal.
