Brann Dailor's Drum Setup on Mastodon's Remission (2002) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What kit did Brann Dailor use on Remission?

Brann Dailor recorded Mastodon's Remission (2002) using a DW Collector's Series drum kit — before Mastodon's later Tama endorsement era. The DW Collector's Series maple shells provided warm, resonant tone well suited to Dailor's jazz-influenced playing approach, even in the raw sludge metal context of the debut album. The configuration featured a single 22-inch bass drum, four toms (10, 12, 14, and 16 inch), and the compact setup appropriate for a debut recording session.

Is Remission Mastodon's first album?

Yes — Remission (2002) is Mastodon's debut full-length album, released on Relapse Records on June 11, 2002. It followed the band's Lifesblood EP (2001) and established the sludge metal foundation from which Mastodon's later progressive sound would develop. Remission is the origin point of the entire Mastodon discography, making it the essential starting point for understanding the band's musical development through Leviathan (2004), Blood Mountain (2006), and Crack the Skye (2009).

How does Brann Dailor's drumming on Remission differ from later albums?

Remission has a rawer, less polished production with more direct sludge metal patterns compared to the complex melodic polyrhythms of Crack the Skye (2009) or the fills-as-lead-instrument approach of Blood Mountain (2006). Dailor's jazz background is audible in the hi-hat work and fill complexity even on Remission, but the overall approach is more physically assertive and less atmospherically sophisticated than his later work. The album reflects an early-career Dailor filtering his musical training through Relapse Records-era underground metal aggression rather than the progressive ambitions of the Atlantic and Reprise-era records.

Who produced Mastodon's Remission?

Remission was produced by Fredrik Nordström at Studio Fredman in Gothenburg, Sweden. Nordström was known for his work with Scandinavian extreme metal bands including At the Gates, In Flames, Dark Tranquillity, and Dimmu Borgir. His production approach gave Remission a clarity within its density that distinguished it from the muddier underground sludge recordings of the era — each drum registering clearly in the mix despite the album's overall aggressive, abrasive character.

What cymbals did Brann Dailor use on Remission?

On Remission (2002), Brann Dailor used Zildjian A Series cymbals — his early-career choice before developing the Meinl endorsement relationship that defined later Mastodon records. The Zildjian A Series provides bright, cutting attack well suited to the dense sludge metal arrangements. His setup included 14-inch hi-hats, 16 and 18-inch crash cymbals, a 20-inch ride, and an 18-inch China. This Zildjian setup contrasts notably with the darker, more atmospheric Meinl Byzance cymbals Dailor would use on Crack the Skye (2009).