Jocke Wallgren's Drum Setup — Amon Amarth's Viking Metal Kit | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit does Jocke Wallgren use?

Jocke Wallgren plays a Pearl Reference Pure kit configured for Amon Amarth's melodic death metal context. The setup centers on a double bass drum configuration with two 22" x 18" kick drums — the sub-bass engine that drives Amon Amarth's characteristic double-bass gallop patterns. His tom configuration includes two rack toms (10" and 12") and two floor toms (16" and 18"), providing the full range needed for the epic compositional sweeps of Amon Amarth's arrangements. The Reference Pure uses maple shell construction that delivers sharp attack transients for clarity over the band's dense guitar arrangements while retaining the warmth and body that melodic death metal's dynamic range requires. For more context: [Jocke Wallgren at MetalForge](/drummer/jocke-wallgren) and the [Amon Amarth band page](/bands/amon-amarth).

What cymbals does Jocke Wallgren play?

Jocke Wallgren plays Zildjian A Custom & K Custom cymbals throughout his Amon Amarth setup. His configuration includes 14" A Custom hi-hats, 18" and 19" A Custom crashes, and a 21" K Custom ride. The A Custom series' bright, cutting character suits Amon Amarth's dense two-guitar attack, while the K Custom ride's dark, harmonically complex voice reinforces the band's melodic aesthetic. The A Custom hi-hats deliver the definition to make the band's characteristic double-bass gallop rhythmically felt across large live environments. The crash selection covers Amon Amarth's full dynamic range from quick mid-passage accents to the full, sustaining crashes that mark the band's epic structural climaxes.

How does Jocke Wallgren get the Amon Amarth drum sound?

Jocke Wallgren's Amon Amarth drum sound results from three interlocking elements: the Pearl Reference Pure kit's maple shell construction for attack clarity and warmth, the Zildjian A Custom & K Custom cymbals' blend of bright attack and dark harmonic complexity that reinforces the band's melodic identity, and the Pearl Demon Drive double bass pedal's consistent chain-drive action that maintains the driving gallop patterns at the rhythmic precision Amon Amarth's riff-locked arrangements require. The key to the Amon Amarth drum sound is the dynamic balance — Wallgren plays with genuine restraint in the band's quieter passages, which makes the explosive double-bass-driven choruses feel genuinely powerful by contrast. The Pearl shells' responsiveness to light playing preserves tone at low dynamics, and the K Custom ride adds atmosphere rather than harsh aggression in transitional moments. For technique context see [double-bass drumming at MetalForge](/technique/double-bass-drumming).

When did Jocke Wallgren join Amon Amarth?

Jocke Wallgren joined Amon Amarth in 2013, replacing Fredrik Andersson who had been the band's drummer since the early 1990s. Wallgren made his recording debut with the band on Deceiver of the Gods (2013), the first album of the current lineup. His joining was smooth in terms of sonic continuity — the Amon Amarth drum sound built on driving double-bass and powerful backbeats carried through from the Andersson era into Wallgren's tenure. He has since recorded four full studio albums with the band and participated in their extensive global touring operations, establishing himself as a foundational element of Amon Amarth's current identity. Background: [Jocke Wallgren at MetalForge](/drummer/jocke-wallgren).

What makes Amon Amarth's drum style distinctive in melodic death metal?

Amon Amarth's drum style is built on the double-bass gallop — a three-note kick pattern that generates the forward-rolling momentum driving the band's anthemic riff writing — combined with a dynamic range that separates them from more relentlessly intense death metal drumming. The gallop pattern creates physical drive and rhythmic momentum that audiences can feel across large live environments; the dynamic contrast between restrained verses and powerful choruses gives the music an epic, narrative quality that pure intensity cannot. Jocke Wallgren's approach embodies both: the controlled power of the gallop sustained across full sets, and the dynamic sensitivity to serve the melodic architecture of Amon Amarth's compositions. For band context: [Amon Amarth at MetalForge](/bands/amon-amarth). For technique: [double-bass drumming at MetalForge](/technique/double-bass-drumming).