Hatebreeder Drum Setup: Jaska Raatikainen's Gear on Children of Bodom's 1999 Debut | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Jaska Raatikainen use on Hatebreeder?

On *Hatebreeder* (1999), Jaska Raatikainen played an early Tama configuration — maple shells in a 6-piece double-kick setup with twin 22" x 18" bass drums, rack toms (10" and 12"), and floor toms (14" and 16"). This was the pre-Starclassic era, distinct from the Tama Starclassic Maple setup documented on *Hate Crew Deathroll* (2003) and the Pearl Masters endorsement that followed. Recorded at Astia Studio in Imatra with producer Anssi Kippo, the early Tama configuration delivered the attack definition and melodic sustain that Children of Bodom's neo-classical death metal arrangements required. For Raatikainen's complete gear history across CoB's career, see the [Jaska Raatikainen drummer profile](/drummer/jaska-raatikainen).

What pedals did Jaska Raatikainen use on Hatebreeder?

Jaska Raatikainen used the DW 5000 double pedal on *Hatebreeder* (1999). The DW 5000's chain-drive mechanism delivered the consistent mechanical response essential to Children of Bodom's sustained double-kick patterns at extreme tempos — tracks like "Towards Dead End" and "Children of Decadence" deploy continuous double-bass passages where pedal consistency directly determines whether each stroke registers as a distinct musical event or an indistinct blur. The DW 5000 series has been among the most respected chain-drive double pedals in metal drumming since its introduction, valued for exactly the qualities that made it right for Raatikainen's debut major studio work. See the [Jaska Raatikainen full kit guide](/articles/jaska-raatikainen-drum-setup) for his pedal evolution across CoB's career.

What cymbals did Jaska Raatikainen use on Hatebreeder?

On *Hatebreeder* (1999), Jaska Raatikainen used Zildjian A Series cymbals throughout — a pre-endorsement setup that preceded the Paiste 2002 combination documented on *Hate Crew Deathroll* (2003) and the later Zildjian A Custom / K Custom pairing of his Pearl endorsement era. The A Series setup included 14" A hi-hats, A crashes (16" and 18"), a 20" A ride, and an 18" A China. The Zildjian A's brightness and natural cut through the mix made them well-suited to Astia Studio's keyboard-heavy recording environment. For context on how this setup evolved across CoB's career, see the [Hate Crew Deathroll drum setup article](/articles/hate-crew-deathroll-drum-setup).

What is the drumming style on Hatebreeder?

*Hatebreeder* (1999) documents the first fully-realized expression of Jaska Raatikainen's neo-classical death metal drumming language: sustained double-bass velocity at extreme tempos combined with melodically aware fill work that tracks Janne Wirman's keyboard lines and Alexi Laiho's guitar runs. At 19 years old, Raatikainen was already deploying the compositional intelligence that distinguishes CoB's drumming from purely aggressive death metal: tom fills that follow melodic contours, blast beats deployed as structural intensity peaks rather than constant texture, ghost notes in verse sections for dynamic range. The album established the template that *Follow the Reaper* and *Hate Crew Deathroll* would develop — with a rawer, more immediate character that reflects both the youth of the players and the energy of a band defining its sound for the first time.