And while he loves nothing more than showing off his chops on stage, he knew he had to respect the legacy of Pero - who died earlier this year - as he had with The Rev.

Portnoy tells Noize In The Attic: "I know how to be a professional and know how to do what is called for, depending on the gig I'm doing. I play in six different bands and I wear very different hats in all of them. I know when I'm supposed to be a leader, be a collaborator or be a hired gun, like I am with Twisted.

"I had a similar scenario when I filled in with Avenged Sevenfold, coming in with a drummer that had passed away and honouring and respecting what laid before me. As sad as it is to say, this is actually my second time filling in for a deceased drummer and I kind of know how to handle the situation.