Ben Koller's Drum Setup on Bloodmoon: I (2021) — Converge & Chelsea Wolfe | MetalForge
Ben Koller recorded Bloodmoon: I (2021) on a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. Brass (Studio Legendary Percussion) snare.
Inside Ben Koller's drum setup for Bloodmoon: I (2021), Converge's collaborative album with Chelsea Wolfe — the Tama Starclassic Maple, Zildjian K Dark Serie...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Ben Koller use on Bloodmoon: I?
Ben Koller used his settled Tama Starclassic Maple kit on Bloodmoon: I (2021) — the same all-maple rig he used on The Dusk in Us, with a single 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and a 16" floor tom. No gear changed for the album's more atmospheric direction; the setup proved versatile enough to serve both the record's restrained passages and its harder-hitting tracks. Full drummer profile: [Ben Koller at MetalForge](/drummer/ben-koller).
Who is featured on Converge's Bloodmoon: I?
Bloodmoon: I (2021) is a full-length collaborative album between Converge and singer-songwriter Chelsea Wolfe, released November 19, 2021 on Epitaph Records and Deathwish Inc. It was written and performed by Jacob Bannon, Kurt Ballou, Nate Newton, and Ben Koller alongside Chelsea Wolfe, with additional contributions from Stephen Brodsky (Cave In, Mutoid Man) and Wolfe's longtime collaborator Ben Chisholm.
What cymbals did Ben Koller use on Bloodmoon: I?
Ben Koller used his established Zildjian K Dark Series setup on Bloodmoon: I — K Dark Series Hi-Hats (14"), K Dark Series Crashes (18" and 19"), a K Custom Ride (21"), and a K China (18"). The K Custom Ride sees the heaviest use on the album, functioning as a primary textural element beneath Chelsea Wolfe's vocal lines rather than a traditional timekeeping ride. See also: [The Dusk in Us drum setup](/articles/the-dusk-in-us-drum-setup).
How does Bloodmoon: I compare to Ben Koller's other Converge albums?
Bloodmoon: I (2021) is the most atmospheric and dynamically restrained record in Ben Koller's catalog — a deliberate departure from the blast-and-breakdown vocabulary of albums like [Axe to Fall](/articles/axe-to-fall-drum-setup) and [Jane Doe](/articles/jane-doe-drum-setup). It extends the dynamic range The Dusk in Us (2017) introduced into a full collaborative album built around doom-paced tempos and Chelsea Wolfe's vocal presence, using the same gear Koller had already settled into for years. Full career arc: [Ben Koller at MetalForge](/drummer/ben-koller).
Who produced Bloodmoon: I?
Bloodmoon: I (2021) was written, recorded, and mixed by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts — the same studio and engineer behind every Converge album since Jane Doe (2001). Ballou's mix on this record uses considerably more room ambience than a typical Converge production, giving Ben Koller's drums space to coexist with Chelsea Wolfe's vocal layers rather than dominate them.