Reign in Blood at 40: Dave Lombardo's Gear, 40 Years Later | MetalForge
Slayer's Reign in Blood turns 40 in October 2026. A look back at Dave Lombardo's drumming on the record that redefined thrash — the verified Pearl Maxwin kit...
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Slayer's Reign in Blood released?
Reign in Blood was released in October 1986 through Def Jam Recordings, but the exact day is disputed. Slayer's own 30th-anniversary post, Metal Archives, and Discogs list October 7, while Wikipedia and Last.fm list October 20. Columbia/CBS's refusal to distribute the album over "Angel of Death" forced a scramble for alternate distribution, which is the likely source of the date confusion.
Why is Reign in Blood's release date disputed?
Columbia/CBS, Def Jam's distributor at the time, refused to distribute Reign in Blood because of the content of its opening track, "Angel of Death." Def Jam had to arrange alternate distribution through Geffen, and that scramble is why sources disagree on the exact release date — some list October 7, 1986, others October 20, 1986.
Who played drums on Reign in Blood?
Dave Lombardo played drums on every track of Reign in Blood. His performance — sustained blast beats, precise double bass, and Cuban-influenced fills — remains one of the most studied drum performances in thrash metal.
What drum gear did Dave Lombardo use on Reign in Blood?
Lombardo recorded Reign in Blood on a Pearl Maxwin kit with birch shells, twin independent 22" bass drums, and a Tama Superstar Steel 14" x 6.5" snare. The full track-by-track breakdown, including cymbals, hardware, and recording technique, is in our Reign in Blood drum setup article.
Is Dave Lombardo's Reign in Blood-era gear still available?
The Pearl Maxwin itself is a discontinued vintage model found through Reverb and used-gear dealers; Lombardo's current signature ProMark TX2BXN sticks are a separate, present-day product.