Persistence of Time Drum Setup: Charlie Benante's 1990 Anthrax Gear Breakdown | MetalForge
Charlie Benante recorded Persistence of Time (1990) on a Tama Artstar Custom kit with a Tama Artstar Custom Brass Snare snare.
Complete breakdown of Charlie Benante's drum setup on Anthrax's Persistence of Time (1990). Tama Artstar Custom kit, Paiste cymbals, chain-drive pedal setup ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Charlie Benante use on Persistence of Time?
Charlie Benante used a Tama Artstar Custom kit on Persistence of Time (1990). The setup included dual 22" x 16" bass drums, three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a 16" floor tom with birch shells. This was the fully refined late-80s Tama configuration he had been using since the Among the Living era, and he carried the same kit forward into Sound of White Noise (1993), simply tuned differently for the album's groove-metal pivot.
What is Charlie Benante's drum setup on 'Got the Time'?
On 'Got the Time,' Charlie Benante used his standard Persistence of Time setup: Tama Artstar Custom birch kit with dual 22" bass drums, Paiste 2002 cymbals including 14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, and his chain-drive bass drum pedal setup. The track runs at approximately 230 BPM, and the double-bass patterns in the opening riff — combined with the crystal-clear hi-hat articulation — represent that pedal setup operating at the outer limits of pedal speed. The performance remains one of the most studied drum recordings in thrash history.
What cymbals did Charlie Benante use on Persistence of Time?
Charlie Benante used Paiste 2002 and RUDE cymbals on Persistence of Time. The setup included Paiste 2002 14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 16" and 17" 2002 crashes, an 18" RUDE Crash/Ride, a 22" 2002 Heavy Ride, and an 18" 2002 China. His Paiste endorsement had been established since Spreading the Disease (1985), and by 1990 the 2002/RUDE combination was thoroughly integrated into his playing vocabulary.
Why is Persistence of Time important in Charlie Benante's career?
Persistence of Time is the culmination of Charlie Benante's Joey Belladonna-era Anthrax career: the first Anthrax album to go Platinum in the US, the band's highest-charting album to that date (#24 on the Billboard 200), and the final studio record with the classic lineup before John Bush replaced Belladonna for Sound of White Noise (1993). For drummers, it documents Benante's most mature expression of the thrash technique he had been developing since Spreading the Disease in 1985.
Who produced Persistence of Time and where was it recorded?
Persistence of Time was produced by Mark Dodson with Anthrax, the same team that had produced State of Euphoria (1988). It was recorded at Bearsville Studios in Bearsville, New York in 1990. Dodson's production on this album built on the State of Euphoria approach with greater low-end weight and room depth — a natural evolution suited to the album's darker, more ambitious material.
How does Persistence of Time connect to Sound of White Noise drum-wise?
Persistence of Time is the direct predecessor to Sound of White Noise (1993) in Charlie Benante's gear arc, and the gear itself carried straight through — the same Tama Artstar Custom birch drums, Paiste cymbals, and chain-drive pedal setup appear on both records. What changed was the production and the tuning: Mark Dodson's tight, forward production on Persistence of Time gave way to Dave Jerden's organic, room-rich approach on Sound of White Noise, with the kit tuned lower and damped more heavily to match. For the complete comparison, see the Sound of White Noise drum setup article.