Matt Cameron at 2025 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. (Disney/Cristian Lopez)
If Soundgarden’s Matt Cameron is looking to pivot musical styles following his departure from Pearl Jam, we think he’d make a pretty good metalcore drummer.
We say that after watching the grunge icon rock out to Bad Omens in the latest edition of Drumeo‘s “For the First Time” series.
As part of the YouTube channel’s challenge, drummers are tasked with coming up with their own part to a song they’ve never heard before while playing along to a drumless version of the track. For Cameron, Drumeo chose the Bad Omens song “Just Pretend,” which, despite hitting #1 on both the Billboard Mainstream Rock Airplay and Alternative Airplay charts, was completely new to him.
After a few takes, Cameron delivered a final “Just Pretend” performance that included some of his signature tom grooves that will be familiar to any Soundgarden fans.
“Bad Omens f****** rules,” Cameron declared after learning the identity of the band. “It’s a good song, man.”
At the end of the video, Drumeo showed Bad Omens drummer Nick Folio reacting to Cameron’s rendition.
“Wow, excellent job, Matt, that was awesome,” Folio responded.
Cameron announced his departure from Pearl Jam in 2025, ending his 27-year tenure with the “Even Flow” rockers. He later clarified that he’s “still an active musician” and will be performing at Tom Morello’s Power to the People festival in October.
Pearl Jam, meanwhile, is set to reveal their new drummer during their headlining set at Eddie Vedder’s Ohana Festival in September.
As for Bad Omens, you can catch them headlining Ohio’s Inkcarceration festival in July.
