Metallica 'Reload' Drum Setup: Lars Ulrich's 1997 Tama Star Classic Maple Kit | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Lars Ulrich use on Metallica's Reload?

Lars Ulrich recorded Metallica's Reload (1997) on the same Tama Star Classic Maple kit used for Load (1996) — the flagship Tama maple series positioned above the Black Album's Artist Maple. Because Load and Reload were conceived as a unified double-album project and recorded in the same sessions across The Plant Studios in Sausalito and Prairie Sun Recording in Cotati, the kit was unchanged between the two records. Configuration: 22" x 18" bass drum with double pedal, 10" and 12" rack toms, 14" and 16" floor toms. The Star Classic's enhanced maple shell construction delivered the warmth and natural resonance that Bob Rock's production approach exploited through moderate room microphone placement and reduced gated reverb.

What cymbals did Lars Ulrich use on Reload?

Lars used the Zildjian A Custom series on Reload — the same configuration that had debuted on Load (1996). The A Custom setup included 14" Dyno Beat Hi-Hats, 16" and 17" Medium Thin Crashes, an 18" Medium Crash, a 22" Ping Ride, and an 18" China. Load marked the beginning of Lars's A Custom relationship; Reload consolidated it. The A Custom series has been his primary cymbal choice continuously from Load (1996) to the present day — meaning Reload was the second record that confirmed what has become a three-decade cymbal commitment.

Is the Reload drum setup the same as the Load drum setup?

Yes, substantially identical. Load and Reload were recorded as a double-album project across the same studios (The Plant Studios, Sausalito; Prairie Sun Recording, Cotati), with the same producer (Bob Rock), using the same Tama Star Classic Maple kit and Zildjian A Custom cymbals. The snare — the Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature — was tuned to the same moderate tension on both records. The production approach was also consistent: natural room ambience, reduced gated reverb, moderate room microphone placement. What differs between the albums is the track selection: Reload includes heavier material like "Fuel" and "Better Than You" that demanded more assertive performances within the same setup.

What is the snare drum sound on Reload?

The Reload snare uses a Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature — a 14" x 6.5" steel shell drum — tuned to moderate tension. The LU1465's steel construction provides brightness and cut while resisting muddiness at lower tunings. Bob Rock's production philosophy for Load and Reload deliberately reduced the heavy gated reverb that characterised the Black Album snare, resulting in a more naturalistic, present snare sound. The Reload snare sits in a different universe from the St. Anger snare (2003) — which used a DW Collector's Series with snare wires disengaged for the metallic "clang" that divided listeners — making Reload the last Metallica album to feature Lars's naturalistic studio snare approach before that radical departure.

What are the best drum performances on Reload?

"Fuel" is the most technically demanding Reload drum track — double bass pedal at high tempo, aggressive crash deployment, and the kind of driving energy closest to Metallica's thrash-era approach. "The Memory Remains" showcases Lars's mid-tempo groove work and ride cymbal phrasing. "Fixxxer" — the eight-minute album closer — is the most patient and dynamic performance, building from sparse groove to climactic full-band intensity across an extended arc. "Better Than You," the Grammy winner for Best Metal Performance, demonstrates the heavier end of the Reload spectrum. Together, these tracks show a drummer working within a consistent equipment and philosophical framework while adapting to material that varied significantly in weight and tempo across the eleven-track album.

How does Reload fit in the Lars Ulrich discography timeline?

Reload (1997) sits between Load (1996) and St. Anger (2003) in the Lars Ulrich studio discography. It completes the Load/Reload double-album era — a sustained period of blues and hard rock influence that followed the Black Album's groove revolution. The Tama Star Classic Maple and Zildjian A Custom configuration of the Load/Reload era is distinct from both the Black Album's Artist Maple setup and the custom DW Collector's Series kit of St. Anger. Reload is the final recording of Lars's naturalistic LU1465 snare sound before the St. Anger snare experiment, and the second of what has become a continuous Zildjian A Custom relationship stretching to the present.