Chris Turner's Drum Kit & Gear Setup — Oceans Ate Alaska | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums does Chris Turner use?

Chris Turner plays a Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch kit, configured with a 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and a 16" floor tom. The Starclassic Maple/Birch uses a hybrid shell construction — maple outer plies for warmth and sustain, birch inner plies for focused attack — that balances the two tonal requirements of progressive metalcore: the cutting clarity needed for complex pattern articulation over heavy guitar arrangements, and the melodic warmth that makes Oceans Ate Alaska's more dynamic passages musical. Turner's setup has been consistent across the Hikari (2017) and Disparity (2022) recording and touring cycles. For the full profile: [Chris Turner at MetalForge](/drummer/chris-turner).

What cymbals does Chris Turner play?

Chris Turner plays Meinl Byzance Series cymbals: 15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" Extra Dry Medium Crash, 20" Extra Dry Medium Crash, 22" Dual Ride, and 18" Extra Dry China. The Extra Dry finish on both crash cymbals and the china is the functionally significant choice — Extra Dry cymbals have short sustain and immediate attack, which gives Turner precise accent control in complex arrangements where closely spaced crash placements would blur into each other with standard-sustain cymbals. The Dual configurations on hi-hats and ride provide versatile tonal response across closed and open positions. Full profile: [Chris Turner at MetalForge](/drummer/chris-turner).

What pedals does Chris Turner use?

Chris Turner uses the Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal. The Speed Cobra 910's Duo-Glide dual-chain drive eliminates the mechanical flex of standard single-chain pedals at high tempos, providing consistent response across both pedal sides — essential for Turner's velocity-even double bass technique, where both feet must produce identical note weight at 165–170 BPM. The Spring-Loaded Cam Plate eliminates mechanical slack between power stroke and beater return. This mechanical precision supports the polyrhythmic kick superimposition and velocity evenness that define Turner's double bass approach. For technique context: [blast-beat technique at MetalForge](/technique/blast-beat).

What band is Chris Turner the drummer of?

Chris Turner is the founding drummer of Oceans Ate Alaska, the Birmingham, UK progressive metalcore band formed in 2010. He has been with the band since their formation and has recorded all of their major releases, including the Lost What Remains EP (2013), Hikari (2017), and Disparity (2022). Turner is also widely known for his viral drum playthrough videos, which have brought his technical progressive metalcore approach to a large online audience. He has cited Periphery's Matt Halpern and Animals as Leaders' Matt Garstka as primary influences. Full profile: [Chris Turner at MetalForge](/drummer/chris-turner).

What makes Chris Turner's drumming style unique?

Chris Turner's defining characteristic is his compositional approach to progressive metalcore — complex technique in service of the song rather than technique as an end in itself. His three signature elements are: polyrhythmic kick superimposition (layering three-against-four or five-against-four kick patterns over a stable metalcore backbeat, documented in the Hansha lick breakdown), velocity-even double bass (both feet produce identical note weight at song tempo, documented in the Escapist breakdown), and compositional blast beat deployment (blast beats enter and exit at specific phrase boundaries as deliberate musical punctuation, including within odd time signatures on Disparity's "Metamorph"). His Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch, Meinl Byzance Extra Dry cymbals, and Speed Cobra 910 are all chosen to support these specific technique demands. For the full lick breakdowns: [Chris Turner at MetalForge](/drummer/chris-turner).