Igor “Iggor” Cavalera, the influential Brazilian drummer and co-founder of legendary metal band Sepultura, recently identified Black Sabbath‘s iconic sticksman Bill Ward as his foremost drumming inspiration. In a new interview with David Frangioni of Modern Drummer, Cavalera, currently active with projects like Cavalera, Cavalera Conspiracy, Soulwax, and Petbrick, elaborated on why Ward stands as his ultimate drum hero.
“My main drum hero has always been Bill Ward from [Black] Sabbath… He’s my man,” Cavalera stated emphatically (as transcribed by Blabbermouth). “I have many drum heroes, but if I have to pick one person that defines for me all those things that I’m talking about — being creative in a studio, performing live with such energy — [it is Bill].”
Cavalera shared a personal anecdote, highlighting his admiration: “I got to see him many times live, and I have one of his bandanas that he gave it to me after he performed with Sabbath. So I keep that as a treasure for all my life.” He lauded Ward as “just such a creative force,” pointing to his innovative incorporation of diverse percussive elements into Sabbath‘s sound. “He was doing things that inspire us as Brazilians, like doing congas, doing overdubs with percussion with Sabbath,” Igor explained. “People say, like, ‘Oh, you pretty much created this whole tribal thing [mixed with metal],’ and I’m, like, ‘No, there’s many other people doing things that led me to that path,’ and Bill Ward is definitely one of those guys. He was super open minded. You can hear heavy, you can hear jazz, you can hear Latin things with him. So he’s my man.”
Beyond technical skill, Cavalera emphasized the joy and “pure energy” evident in Ward‘s playing. “And for me that’s also [something] that I always tell a lot of friends, family and fans — it’s, like, look, the technique, of course, it’s a beautiful thing, but pushing drumming to become like a fun thing to do,” he added. “I wanna have fun in my drums. And I can see Bill had that pleasure when he was playing. He’s hitting things, and it’s just pure energy. And I like that over just the technical thing of being so stressed that you can see the person’s not really enjoying themselves when they’re playing.”
While Bill Ward holds the top spot, Cavalera also cited Stewart Copeland of The Police as another profound influence. “Of course Stewart Copeland is a huge influence as well,” he said. “As a Latin, I grew up playing samba and all those rhythms, and to see someone like him bringing that into pop world — we’re talking someone that [had] a number one hit — and doing crazy stuff on his drums, mixing up Jamaican styles and things like that, with a punk attitude. So he’s also another innovator, in my view, that really influenced me in many ways.”
Igor Cavalera‘s own musical journey has been marked by innovation and diverse explorations. After his departure from Sepultura in June 2006 due to “artistic differences,” he has continued to push boundaries with numerous projects. Most recently, this past February 2025, he embarked on a solo tour of the United Kingdom, performing electronic music from his solo discography, inspired by avant-garde, drone, industrial, and harsh noise subgenres. His admiration for drummers who blend creativity, energy, and a broad musical palette clearly reflects in his own enduring and varied career.
