Ben Koller's Drum Setup on Converge's No Heroes (2006) | MetalForge
Inside Ben Koller's drum setup for Converge's No Heroes (2006) — the first Converge album Kurt Ballou both recorded and mixed entirely at GodCity Studio. Tam...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Ben Koller use on Converge's No Heroes?
Ben Koller recorded No Heroes in 2006 using the same Tama Starclassic kit with bubinga shells in Piano Black finish that anchored Jane Doe and You Fail Me. The configuration included a single 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. His snare was a brass-shell Tama 14" x 6.5" model, tuned medium-high for cut.
What cymbals did Ben Koller use on No Heroes?
Ben Koller used Sabian HHX and AAX cymbals on No Heroes — the same combination he used on Jane Doe and You Fail Me, and would carry through Axe to Fall. The setup included Sabian HHX Groove Hats (14"), Sabian AAX Stage Crashes (18" and 19"), a Sabian HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride (21"), and a Sabian AAX Chinese (18"). The Raw Bell Dry Ride gets extended use on the nine-minute "Grim Heart/Black Rose."
Who guests on Converge's 'Grim Heart/Black Rose'?
"Grim Heart/Black Rose," the 9:34 centerpiece of No Heroes, features guest lead vocals from Jonah Jenkins, formerly of the Boston-area metal band Only Living Witness. It's one of the longest and most patiently structured songs in Converge's catalog, and Ben Koller's drumming on it is correspondingly more restrained and texturally driven than his work on the album's faster tracks.
How does No Heroes' drum setup differ from You Fail Me and Jane Doe?
Gear-wise, almost nothing changed across all three records — Ben Koller used the same Tama Starclassic bubinga kit, brass snare, Sabian HHX/AAX cymbals, and Tama Iron Cobra single pedal on Jane Doe, You Fail Me, and No Heroes. What changed was the production: No Heroes was the first Converge album that Kurt Ballou recorded and mixed entirely by himself at GodCity Studio, without the split-studio approach used on You Fail Me. That full creative control gave the album a more cohesive, confident sound, and Koller's performance on the extended "Grim Heart/Black Rose" shows him handling a far wider dynamic and structural range than either prior record demanded.