In the furnace of extreme metal, drummers don’t merely serve the beat—they become architects of tension, propulsion, and atmosphere. With that in mind, I sat down with Kevin Alexander, whose work in Disembodied Tyrant and live performances for Fallujah demonstrates a rare fusion of razor-sharp technique and emotional depth. Over the course of this conversation, we trace the arc of his journey—from the moment the rhythm rewired his very perception of music, to the mental and physical discipline he brings to every performance. We also dig into the lesser-seen elements of his approach: how he balances storytelling with sheer technical onslaught, how his mindset shapes his presence on and off stage, and how stepping into new sonic terrain with Fallujah has reframed his understanding of dynamics and space. This dialogue offers a glimpse into a musician who lives his craft with intentionality, resilience, and vision.
INTERVIEW
OBNUBIL: Before we dive into the relentless precision and atmospheric weight of your drumming — let’s take a step back. You’ve poured yourself into one of the most intense corners of extreme metal, balancing speed, control, and a deep sense of atmosphere. But when the lights drop, the crowd disappears, and you’re no longer in that sonic war zone — what has life been whispering to you lately? Have there been quiet or unexpected moments recently that reminded you why you commit so much of yourself to this craft — why you step into that storm behind the kit again and again?
Kevin: Life tends to get pretty crazy at home with a relentless barrage of tough obstacles constantly testing your allegiance to the craft. I'm not going to lie, there’s been a ton of things I've had to face recently, and I think if you can always just choose to go forward with it, it just proves how dedicated and how much of an unstoppable force you truly are. Amidst the chaos, I'll say that the only thing that brings me joy above all is stepping up on that stage and inspiring the younger generation to feel, and get through tough emotions or making people feel like they belong...even if it’s for a second.
OBNUBIL: Can you take us back to the very first time the rhythm didn’t just catch your ear, but rewired something in you? That moment when it wasn’t just “I love music” — it was “this is going to be the pulse of my life.” Maybe it was a drummer who made your jaw drop, a riff that felt like it was written into your DNA, or a live show that made time collapse. What was the exact spark that pushed you from being a listener to becoming the heartbeat of the music yourself?
Kevin: Where it all started: After my parent’s divorce, my mom’s boyfriend’s nephew came over for the first time. He asked me if I had Kazaa or Limewire - so I took him to the basement and opened it up. He asked me: Do you know Metallica? I said no (I had just turned 11 at the time - 2003). He downloaded a bunch of “tallica songs, and the first one that finished downloading was “Eye of the Beholder”. He air drummed to the whole song full blast and my jaw dropped. He told me, “i’ve always wanted to play drums, but my dad won’t let me - he wants me to play hockey, but i fucking hate it”. From then on, I knew, his drive and passion for the instrument was beyond anything i’ve ever seen before and told myself: I want to do that. I want to play drums!
OBNUBIL: Your drumming in Disembodied Tyrant often feels like a calculated storm—controlled chaos layered with relentless precision. Can you walk us through your mental and physical state before and during a performance? Are there any rituals or psychological techniques you rely on to get into that intense, surgical headspace, and how do you maintain control when the music demands such ferocity?
Kevin: Definitely! I get into this “flow” state where nothing else matters but my performance and technical proficiency. Even if there’s so many things around me I am 100% focused. There’s a ton of factors that may arise which are completely out of my control that can make the show go wrong, so I need to be at full brain capacity in order to quickly fix the inevitable problems that may occur.
My pre-show routine is mainly to get the blood circulating; I’ve recently tested theories pertaining to warm up routine (which is best?)...and i’ve come to the conclusion that you do not NEED to warm up with exercises or rudiments...You can experiment other ways like breathing techniques or physical exercises like knee claps, squats, heavy presses or pulls of any kind, or simply ingest natural foods that promote nitric oxide, such as cayenne pepper, beetroot juice etc as long as you are creating bloodflow.
On another note, we drummers need to control our adrenaline onstage. It can cause us to rush (play before the click) and I believe the key to this is lowering your heart rate right as you walk on stage. I take long, slow breaths to attain this and it keeps me grounded and controlled. The same applies when you go to bed in a moving bus at the end of the night. So ultimately, using different breathing techniques can be attained for different things and it’s become absolutely vital in my every day life on the road.
OBNUBIL: Extreme metal drumming often gets reduced to "how fast can you blast?"—but your playing has this sense of purpose, weight, and atmosphere beyond pure speed. How do you balance technical proficiency with emotional storytelling in your drumming, and has your approach to this balance evolved since you first joined Disembodied Tyrant?
Kevin: All of the drumparts are well thought of before laying them down. It’s important that it fits the music first always. Drumming changes the whole feel of the song or part, so writing drum parts need to be done carefully and most importantly with intention.
Personally, I always looked up to more fusion/independent players aside from metal drummers, when you focus on dynamic drumming, I guess it sets you apart from most of the drummers in the metal genre. Most just skip the fundamentals & want to play fast so they end up lacking in other areas. All in all - it really boils down to how much time you spend practicing a certain technique. You'll end up being good at it, but it's important to tackle other techniques and styles of playing even if it’s not required for the type of music you play so you can be more diverse and bring something new to the table.
OBNUBIL: Many fans are fascinated by the gear and setup of drummers in the extreme metal world—but beyond the hardware, what elements of your style or technique do you consider the most defining or underrated? Are there any lesser-known exercises, philosophies, or "weird tricks" in your toolkit that significantly shape your drumming voice?
Kevin: Absolutely. People freak out over my doubles played in flip flops (adidas slides). They are my go-to. The story is: I spent 3 years backpacking before COVID - to south east asian hot countries so i spent most of my time in flip flops. When I flew back home to Canada and decided to learn heel-toe, I was still in “vacation-mode” and sat down on my kit and just started learning the technique with my slides on. I never ended up taking them off haha.
OBNUBIL: Let’s say you had the chance to teach a masterclass, not in technique, but in mindset. What would you want to pass on to younger drummers who look up to you—not just about speed and accuracy, but about identity, resilience, and surviving in the often brutal ecosystem of underground metal?
Kevin: If you can’t sacrifice everything for the love of it, then certainly do not do it! Haha, Kidding! The resilience is definitely real - you need to be built of steel to endure this industry for sure. Things move fast and if you don’t seize the opportunity, it may slip before you know it. Sometimes you can feel like everything you’ve worked for was for nothing. Feelings of defeat. This is specifically the time where you need to grind even harder and prove to yourself that you want this. Forge yourself & let the magic unfold. I spent 18 years performing in bands in the Montreal local scene. As a Canadian, there wasn’t any opportunity. As soon as I did my 1st US tour, all of the opportunities unfolded. Go where you need to be. Wherever you are valued. Whatever it takes. Discomfort is a catalyst for growth. Challenge yourself always - always have in the back of your head “someone is working harder than me”. While i’m out enjoying getting drunk with my friends, someone is miles ahead of me on a technique I need to learn”. This is the mindset of someone unstoppable.
In the industry: Always be a good hang. People need to WANT to work with you. Good relationships and working together always beats working alone or being closed minded and individualistic. Bottom line: have fun with it. Enjoy it. Make sure you’re playing with good people, or it will be a painfully long road.
OBNUBIL: You've likely played in venues where the acoustics were terrible, the crowd was hostile, or your body was on the verge of collapse—yet you delivered. Can you share a moment when everything was against you but you still managed to rise above it behind the kit? What did you learn from that experience that stayed with you?
Kevin: Tendonitis on my left wrist, and the snare stand I was using gave out... completely loosened and fell to the lowest possible setting (I was borrowing someone’s kit) so I was hitting the snare almost down to the floor and the pain in my wrist was unbearable. It couldn’t be fixed. I had to finish a 1h20 long Pantera tribute set in the most excruciating pain. Never again -__-
OBNUBIL: If you were to isolate one track—or even one specific moment in a song—where you think your drumming perfectly encapsulates your voice as an artist in Disembodied Tyrant, which would it be, and why? What’s happening rhythmically, emotionally, and technically in that moment that makes it feel so quintessentially you?
Kevin: Definitely 8.6 Blackout. That song on drums is everything I've ever dreamt of in a song. Pummeling, Fast, Technical, Groovy & Dynamic. The intensity matches the message of the song. Just pure calculated punishment.
OBNUBIL: Besides Disembodied Tyrant, you’ve stepped into the live drummer role for Fallujah — a band known for blending atmospheric depth with technical ferocity. What was it like for you to first immerse yourself in their material? Were there particular songs or sections that felt like home immediately, and others that pushed you into new rhythmic or emotional territory?
Kevin: The whole thing pushed me to the next level. The way Scott Carstairs writes is just so unorthodox, so I ultimately had to learn to be in his brain - and it forced me to open up and expand my drumming vocabulary, especially when writing the drumparts for Xenotaph. It was an extreme experience and mindset.I still remember the workflow i had. I used to clock in the studio at 1am when the world was asleep until 6am. No distractions. Just focused with one thing in mind. Create the best drum parts I can for this record. I did that every night for 1 month. It was a necessary motive for me to take it to the next level and get serious. In 6 months I wrote drums to 8 songs in Xenotaph, learnt a whole European setlist, toured Europe with Ingested and then learnt their sophomore “The Flesh Prevails album” for the 10th anniversary US tour. 1 month later I learnt the Disembodied Tyrant set and went on tour with Fleshgod Apocalypse.
OBNUBIL: Fallujah’s music is often described as “atmospheric death metal,” which leaves a lot of space for dynamics and mood. Do you consciously approach certain moments as almost “narrative” in your drumming — thinking about rise, fall, tension, and release — or does that flow come more instinctively in a live setting?
Kevin: I always try to map out and think of the best drumparts to best serve the song in my head beforehand - so absolutely. I’ve spent a great deal of time trying to expand my vocabulary so I could improvise in a live setting - so sometimes it happens where my hands just do something sick, and i’m like “oh shit, what the fuck was that - hope i remember that, haha”. But for the most part, some sections call for a crescendo, some call for softer, more heartfelt moments - so every part is thought out accordingly. There’s a time to shine, and there’s a time to hold out and serve the song.
OBNUBIL: Fallujah’s music often allows for more open, breathing moments compared to the constant intensity of Disembodied Tyrant. Has playing in that space made you rethink how you approach dynamics, pacing, or emotional weight when you return to your main band’s material?
Kevin: I’ve always played many different styles of music, so I know how each setting requires certain appropriated playing style or beat choice. The styles between Fallujah and Disembodied Tyrant are almost entirely different. The only two things that they have in common are intensity and the dynamics. Doing the album and 2 big tours with Fallujah definitely did however help razor-sharpen a lot of aspects of my playing. It’s insanely technical stuff. Learning the Flesh Prevails in its entirety is something I'll always remember, and dread. haha
OBNUBIL: When learning a set for Fallujah or Disembodied Tyrant, do you break the songs down into smaller technical challenges — like tricky foot patterns, odd groupings, or ghost note placements — or do you learn the whole piece in context from the start?
Kevin: The process is always interesting, I always spam listen to whichever songs I'm learning before I get to the drums. There are always tricky patterns almost everywhere. So I memorize all of the drum parts first. If there are any sections in which i don’t know what the fuck i just heard, i’ll keep spam replaying it right away so i can get surgical.
Sometimes these challenging parts come with you having to learn a whole new technique just to be able to play it. So you start breaking up your practice in two: technique practice & song rehearsal.
OBNUBIL: What’s the most deceptively difficult song in either Fallujah’s or Disembodied Tyrant’s live set — the one that might not sound like the hardest to the audience, but still pushes your endurance or concentration to the edge every time?
Kevin: Carved From Stone from Fallujah is definitely just relentlessly punishing haha.
OBNUBIL: In extreme metal, the visual side often gets overshadowed by the music itself, yet your social media seems to merge both worlds seamlessly. How important do you think it is for a modern metal musician to invest in a strong aesthetic identity, and how has that impacted your connection with fans and the scene? How do you balance the urge to keep fans engaged with the desire to maintain a certain standard and aesthetic? Has there ever been something you chose not to post that you knew would have performed well online, simply because it didn’t fit your vision?
Kevin: Absolutely important. A good band with good visuals always amplifies. Although, people identify with image so much these days and formulate such strong opinions that sometimes we have to be extremely cautious with what we post. We’ve had to stop ourselves multiple times to not trigger sensitive people nowadays. Everyone twists things to their narrative and it’s definitely hurting the genre. Metal music has always been a rebellion and and achor for free speech and now it’s completely censored and taboo.
OBNUBIL: With the speed of social media, musicians are expected to constantly produce content. Do you find this pressure creatively motivating or draining, and how do you ensure that what you share stays authentic to your artistry rather than just feeding the algorithm? Do you think that selectiveness creates a stronger impact when something new appears on your profile, compared to posting constantly?
Kevin: Disembodied Tyrant doesn’t really post that much if you think of it, and somehow our reach and fans continue to grow. So we keep it minimal. For me, I know I definitely do enjoy creating content so it is definitely creatively motivating for me. I love what I do and I'm proud of sharing it.
OBNUBIL: Your drumming balances razor-sharp execution with a sense of darkness and atmosphere that few can pull off. Looking ahead, what creative fires are burning hottest for you right now? Are there new releases, live shows, or collaborations on the horizon that have you pushing into new rhythmic or emotional territory? What should listeners expect from you in the near future — and are there any surprises you’re quietly preparing to unleash?
Kevin: Definitely will tell you right now expect something unique, fresh and new for Disembodied Tyrant’s full length album. Blake’s ideas are always so forward thinking and I cannot wait to start the recording process.
OBNUBIL: It’s been amazing peeling back the layers of your journey through both the precision and the chaos of extreme metal drumming. Before we wrap up, what message would you want to leave for those who’ve been following your path — whether they’re devoted Disembodied Tyrant or Fallujah fans, fellow drummers, or curious newcomers drawn in by the intensity? Words of wisdom, gratitude, or even something raw and unfiltered — what would you want to send out into the world before we close this
chapter?
Kevin: Thank you so much for having me, I’m all about sharing, helping and inspiring. If there’s one thing I can leave behind with you all is be good to each other, go where you are valued, ALWAYS trust your gut & beware of psychic vampires. 🧛
If you are interested in lessons, hit me up. It would be a pleasure to do a 1 on 1 in person on tour, or online!
Interview done September 2025. Cover photo by Brian Krahe.
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