Scott Travis's Drum Setup on Judas Priest's Redeemer of Souls (2014) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

Was Redeemer of Souls Grammy nominated?

Yes. Judas Priest's Redeemer of Souls (2014) earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 57th Grammy Awards in 2015. The nominated track was 'Halls of Valhalla,' the album's driving lead single featuring Scott Travis's double-kick-propelled rhythm section. The album charted at number 3 in the UK and number 6 in the US — Priest's strongest chart performance since Painkiller (1990) until Firepower (2018) eclipsed it at number 5 on both charts. The Grammy nomination confirmed the album's commercial significance and established producer Andy Sneap's production template for the subsequent Firepower sessions.

What drum kit did Scott Travis use on Redeemer of Souls?

On Judas Priest's Redeemer of Souls (2014), Scott Travis played a Pearl Reference Series kit — Pearl's flagship hybrid-shell line combining maple, birch, and mahogany plies. The setup featured dual 22 inch by 18 inch bass drums (two independent pedals, no connected double-pedal linkage), 10 and 12 inch rack toms, and 14 and 16 inch floor toms. His snare was a Pearl Reference Brass at 14 inches by 6.5 inches with die-cast hoops. This was the same Pearl Reference platform he had used on Angel of Retribution (2005) and Nostradamus (2008), continuing his established Pearl era before the eventual transition to Tama Starclassic for Firepower (2018).

Who replaced KK Downing in Judas Priest on Redeemer of Souls?

Richie Faulkner replaced founding guitarist K.K. Downing on Redeemer of Souls (2014). Downing had departed Judas Priest in April 2011 after 40 years with the band, citing health concerns and disagreements with management. Faulkner — a British guitarist from London, then 29 years old and 27 years younger than Downing — had been touring with the band since 2011 as Downing's live replacement, and Redeemer of Souls was his studio debut with Priest. Faulkner co-wrote several tracks on the album and received co-writing credits alongside Rob Halford and Glenn Tipton. Scott Travis remained on drums throughout the lineup transition, providing continuity across the Downing-to-Faulkner change.

How does Scott Travis's Redeemer of Souls setup compare to Firepower?

Redeemer of Souls (2014) and Firepower (2018) are both Andy Sneap-produced Judas Priest albums, but Travis's gear evolved significantly between the two. On Redeemer of Souls, Travis was still using Pearl Reference Series drums (the platform since 2005) and a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. By Firepower (2018), he had transitioned to a Tama Starclassic Maple kit and Tama Speed Cobra HP910 pedals. Cymbals shifted from Sabian HH/AA and early HHX toward a fully HHX-focused setup on Firepower. The snare evolved from Pearl Reference Brass 14"x6.5" to Tama Starphonic Brass 14"x6" — a half-inch shallower for added response in Sneap's dry production environment. Redeemer of Souls is in many ways the proof-of-concept for the Firepower production approach, with Travis's Pearl rig handling the template that the Tama setup would later refine.