Frost (Satyricon) Drum Setup — Complete Gear Guide | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit does Frost use?

Frost plays Tama drums — he is a longtime Tama Drums endorser, playing their Starclassic Bubinga series. The setup centers on Bubinga shells with a double 22" x 18" bass drum configuration for his extreme-tempo double-kick work. Bubinga shell construction delivers the immediate attack and focused mid-range projection that black metal demands — drums that cut through densely saturated guitar frequencies without losing definition during blast beat patterns. His full drummer profile is at [Frost's MetalForge page](/drummer/46).

What cymbals does Frost play?

Frost uses Zildjian cymbals — primarily the Zildjian A series, including 14" New Beat hi-hats, 16" and 18" Medium Thin/Medium crashes, a 20" Medium ride, and an 18" China Boy. The A series' bright, fast-decaying character suits black metal production: cymbals that speak immediately on accent and don't accumulate wash at extreme tempos. The New Beat hi-hats in particular provide the tight, cutting response his blast beat patterns require.

How does Frost achieve the Satyricon drum sound?

Frost's drum sound across Satyricon's catalog comes from three combined elements: Tama Starclassic Bubinga shell construction for attack definition, Zildjian A cymbals for fast-decaying, cutting clarity, and aggressive but controlled tuning — snare at medium-bright tension, kick drums with a firm Powerstroke 3 head and minimal internal dampening. In live contexts since at least the Rebel Extravaganza era, Roland acoustic drum triggers on the bass drum blend a sampled attack with the acoustic sound, ensuring consistent definition at extreme tempos regardless of venue acoustics. Production-side, the Nemesis Divina era embraced raw, slightly abrasive drum sounds; later albums (Now, Diabolical, the self-titled) used more polished, controlled processing — but the same fundamental setup underlies both.

Does Frost use electronic triggers?

Yes. Frost uses Roland acoustic drum triggers (RT series) on his bass drum(s) in live performance. The triggers route the kick signal through a drum module, blending or supplementing the acoustic bass drum with a processed attack sample. This is standard practice for extreme metal drummers who perform in large venues: at 200+ BPM blast beat tempos, uncontrolled acoustic environments can smear fast kick patterns into indistinct low-frequency noise. The trigger setup preserves the rhythmic definition of Frost's double-kick patterns regardless of stage acoustic conditions.

What bands has Frost played with besides Satyricon?

Frost is also the drummer for 1349, one of Norway's most extreme and relentless black metal acts — arguably more technically demanding than Satyricon in its sustained extremity. 1349's approach (albums like Hellfire, Revelations of the Black Flame, and Demonoir) requires blast beats at maximum velocity with minimal dynamic concession, which represents a different demand on Frost than Satyricon's more evolved, dynamically varied material. He has appeared on all of 1349's major releases alongside Satyricon, demonstrating his ability to shift between the two bands' very different rhythmic philosophies. He has also appeared in various studio and session contexts within the Norwegian metal scene.