Divine Intervention Drum Setup: Paul Bostaph's Slayer Debut (1994) | MetalForge
Paul Bostaph recorded Divine Intervention (1994) on a Tama Artstar II kit with a Tama Artstar Steel Snare snare.
Divine Intervention (1994) is Paul Bostaph's first album with Slayer, recorded after replacing Dave Lombardo. Complete gear breakdown of the Tama Artstar II ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What gear did Paul Bostaph use on Divine Intervention?
Paul Bostaph recorded Divine Intervention (1994) on a Tama Artstar II kit in Piano Black finish, with two 22x18-inch bass drums, 10 and 12-inch rack toms, and 14 and 16-inch floor toms. His snare was a 14x6.5 Tama steel model. Cymbals were Paiste RUDE — 14-inch hi-hats, 17 and 19-inch Wild Crashes, a 20-inch Ride, and an 18-inch China — the same RUDE lineage that had defined Reign in Blood and South of Heaven, replacing the Zildjian A/K cymbals Lombardo used on Seasons in the Abyss. Tama Iron Cobra pedals, by then in full retail production, powered the double-bass work.
How is Bostaph's style different from Lombardo on this album?
Paul Bostaph's playing on Divine Intervention is tighter and more mechanically consistent than Dave Lombardo's more elastic, ferocious feel on prior Slayer albums. Where Lombardo's double bass had a looser, more physically aggressive character, Bostaph approached the same tempos with a more controlled, metronomic precision — a difference audible from the opening bars of 'Killing Fields.' This precision became Bostaph's signature across his Slayer tenure and is one of the reasons fans and critics have long debated the two drummers' relative merits rather than treating one as a simple replacement for the other.
What tuning did Slayer use on Divine Intervention?
Slayer recorded Divine Intervention in standard tuning, consistent with every Slayer studio album up to that point. The band would not drop to alternate tunings until Diabolus in Musica (1998), which used D-flat — two and a half steps below standard. Divine Intervention's drum sound and gear reflect the classic, standard-tuned Slayer sonic template that Rick Rubin had established on Reign in Blood and South of Heaven.
When did Paul Bostaph first join Slayer?
Paul Bostaph joined Slayer in early 1992, shortly after Dave Lombardo departed following the Seasons in the Abyss touring cycle and shortly after Bostaph himself left Forbidden, the Bay Area thrash band he co-founded. Divine Intervention, released September 27, 1994, was his first studio album with Slayer. It was the first Slayer studio album recorded without Dave Lombardo since the band's 1983 formation.
How did Divine Intervention chart commercially?
Divine Intervention debuted at #8 on the Billboard 200 — Slayer's highest US chart position at the time of release, a significant jump from Seasons in the Abyss's #40 peak in 1990. The album was certified Gold by the RIAA. The strong debut demonstrated that Slayer's audience accepted the drummer change commercially, even as debate about Bostaph's style versus Lombardo's continued among fans for years afterward.