Necrophagist Epitaph Drum Setup: Hannes Grossmann's 2004 Tech Death Masterpiece | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Hannes Grossmann use on Necrophagist's Epitaph?

Hannes Grossmann recorded Necrophagist's Epitaph in 2003-2004 using a Tama Starclassic Performer-era high-end shell pack (or comparable Pearl Reference equivalent) in a professional studio finish. The configuration included two 22" x 18" bass drums for sustained double-kick work, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. The compact 4-tom spread provided the pitch range required for Necrophagist's dense fill vocabulary without forcing extended configurations that would slow rapid articulation. The kit was tracked at studios in Germany with Necrophagist self-producing the album. For Grossmann's full setup context: [Hannes Grossmann at MetalForge](/drummer/hannes-grossmann).

Who was the drummer on Necrophagist's Epitaph in 2004?

Hannes Grossmann was the drummer on Necrophagist's Epitaph (2004), and the album was his debut on a Necrophagist studio recording. Necrophagist's previous album, Onset of Putrefaction (1999), had been recorded almost entirely by founder Muhammed Suiçmez using programmed drumming. Epitaph was the first Necrophagist record with a proper full-band lineup, and Grossmann's arrival as the drummer transformed the band's sonic possibilities. His performance on tracks like "Stabwound," "Ignominious & Pale," and "Seven" became reference material for modern technical death metal drumming. Grossmann went on to become one of the most respected drummers in extreme metal, later co-founding Obscura (2007) and Alkaloid (2015).

What cymbals did Hannes Grossmann use on Epitaph?

Hannes Grossmann used a Meinl cymbal setup on Epitaph that combined early Pure Alloy elements with developing Byzance configurations — a transitional period in his cymbal voice. The setup included 14" Medium hi-hats, 17" and 19" Medium crashes, a 22" Medium ride, and an 18" China. Grossmann was a long-standing Meinl artist throughout his career, and Epitaph documents the cymbal configuration he was using as his Meinl partnership was developing toward its mature Byzance form (which would fully crystallize on Obscura's Cosmogenesis in 2009). The cymbal voice on Epitaph remains a key part of the album's distinctive sonic identity.

How does Epitaph compare to Onset of Putrefaction in terms of drumming?

Onset of Putrefaction (1999), Necrophagist's debut, used programmed drumming created by founder Muhammed Suiçmez — the songs were performed with mechanical precision but without a human drummer in the conventional sense. Epitaph (2004) transformed this completely by introducing Hannes Grossmann as the band's first proper studio drummer. The shift from programmed to human-played drumming gave Epitaph a dynamic and rhythmically alive quality that Onset of Putrefaction's programmed drums could not match. Grossmann's performance on tracks like "Stabwound" demonstrated the kind of musical nuance, micro-timing variation, and physical force that human drumming brings — and the contrast between the two albums illustrates why human drumming remains central to extreme metal's emotional impact even when the technical demands are extreme.

Why is Stabwound considered one of the most important tech death drum tracks?

Stabwound is widely considered one of the most important tech death drum tracks because it concentrates an unusually high density of technical vocabulary into a single song while remaining musically composed and emotionally direct. Grossmann's performance includes sustained 16th-note double-bass under neoclassical guitar leads, blast beat sections aligned to Suiçmez's phrasing, polyrhythmic fill vocabulary moving between snare, toms, and bass drums at high velocity, and dynamic transitions between full-intensity and more atmospheric passages — all within roughly four-and-a-half minutes. The track became required listening for serious tech death drummers, and many subsequent extreme metal drummers cite it as a foundational reference. For broader tech-death drumming context: [death metal drummers at MetalForge](/articles/death-metal-drummers).