Ben Koller's Drum Setup on Converge's All We Love We Leave Behind (2012) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit does Ben Koller use on All We Love We Leave Behind?

Ben Koller recorded All We Love We Leave Behind using a Tama Starclassic kit with bubinga shells in Piano Black finish — the same core shell formula he used on Jane Doe and Axe to Fall. The configuration included a single 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. By 2012, Koller was transitioning toward the Tama Starclassic Performer B/B (birch/bubinga hybrid) that defines his current setup, but the AWLWLB sessions drew on pure bubinga's punchy, focused attack.

What snare does Ben Koller play on All We Love We Leave Behind?

Ben Koller used a Tama S.L.P. (Studio Legendary Percussion) snare in a 14" x 6.5" configuration on All We Love We Leave Behind. The S.L.P. series is Tama's vintage-inspired professional snare line; the 6.5" depth gives the drum extra body and projection on rimshots, helping it cut through Converge's dense guitar arrangements in Kurt Ballou's GodCity Studio production. Koller tuned the snare at medium to medium-high tension — enough cut for the album's harder sections while retaining warmth for its more melodic passages.

What cymbals did Ben Koller use on All We Love We Leave Behind?

Ben Koller used Zildjian K Custom and A Custom cymbals on All We Love We Leave Behind — a transition from the Sabian HHX/AAX setup he used on earlier Converge records. His setup included Zildjian K Custom Dark 14" Hi-Hats, Zildjian A Custom Crashes (18" and 19"), a Zildjian K Custom Ride 21", a Zildjian A Custom China 18", and a Zildjian K Splash 10". The K Custom Dark hi-hats provided controlled, dark articulation for rapid patterns while the A Custom crashes delivered the explosive brightness the album's climactic moments require.

What is Ben Koller's setup on All We Love We Leave Behind?

Ben Koller's complete drum setup on All We Love We Leave Behind (2012) centers on a Tama Starclassic kit with bubinga shells and a single 22" bass drum — no double pedal. His snare is a Tama S.L.P. 14" x 6.5", cymbals are Zildjian K Custom and A Custom, pedal is a Tama Iron Cobra single, and sticks are his Vater signature model. Evans drumheads complete the setup: G2 Coated on tom batters, EMAD on the bass drum. The record was produced by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts.

Why is All We Love We Leave Behind considered Converge's most accessible album?

All We Love We Leave Behind (2012) is considered Converge's most melodically accessible album because it strips back the sprawling guest-heavy ambition of Axe to Fall and focuses on tighter, more direct songwriting. Tracks like "Glacial Pace" and the title track show the band incorporating more dynamic restraint, melodic guitar work, and accessible song structures without abandoning their hardcore intensity. AP Magazine named it Album of the Year for 2012. Ben Koller's drumming on the record reflects this shift — he plays with more musical nuance and dynamic control than on earlier Converge records while maintaining his signature blast-and-breakdown vocabulary.