Charlie Benante's Drum Setup on Anthrax's Sound of White Noise (1993) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Charlie Benante use on Sound of White Noise?

Charlie Benante used a DW Collector's Series Maple kit on Sound of White Noise (1993), marking his switch from the Tama Artstar II kits of the Among the Living and Persistence of Time era. The setup included dual 22" x 18" bass drums, three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a single 16" floor tom with all-maple shells and DW's True-Pitch tension rods. The deeper 18" bass drum shell depth (versus 16" on the earlier Tama kits) reflected the album's lower-tuned, weightier groove-metal aesthetic.

Why did Charlie Benante switch from Tama to DW for Sound of White Noise?

Charlie Benante switched from Tama to DW Collector's Series for Sound of White Noise to support the album's groove-metal pivot and Dave Jerden's mid-range-heavy production aesthetic. DW's maple shells produce warmer, more harmonically complex tones than the Tama Artstar II's birch shells — better suited to the album's slower tempos, deeper kick tuning, and Jerden's organic, room-rich production approach. The Among the Living-era birch kit had been optimized for the bright, articulate attack of thrash production; the Sound of White Noise sessions required something with more body and weight.

What cymbals did Charlie Benante use on Sound of White Noise?

Charlie Benante used Sabian cymbals on Sound of White Noise, switching from the Paiste 2002 setup of the Among the Living era. His 1993 Sabian configuration included 14" AA Rock Hi-Hats, 16" and 18" AA Rock Crashes, a 17" HH Medium Crash, a 21" AA Rock Ride, and an 18" AA Chinese. The mix of AA (bright, aggressive) and HH (warmer, more musical) cymbals reflected the album's broader sonic range. This 1993 switch began Charlie's long-running Sabian endorsement that continues to this day.

Who produced Sound of White Noise and how did that affect the drum sound?

Sound of White Noise was produced by Dave Jerden — best known for Alice in Chains' Dirt (1992) and Jane's Addiction's Ritual de lo Habitual (1990) — at A&M Studios in Hollywood. Jerden's mid-range-heavy, organic production aesthetic shaped the album's drum sound profoundly: kick drums tuned lower for weight rather than clicky attack, snare embedded in the mix rather than forward and dominant, room ambience preserved aggressively for a three-dimensional sound. This was a complete departure from Eddie Kramer's live but punchy Among the Living production and Mark Dodson's clinical Persistence of Time approach.

How is Sound of White Noise different from Among the Living drum-wise?

Sound of White Noise represents a fundamental reinvention of Charlie Benante's drum approach compared to Among the Living. Where Among the Living (1987) featured a Tama Artstar II birch kit, Paiste 2002 cymbals, Tama HP35 Camco pedals, and a thrash-optimized configuration of dual 22" x 16" bass drums, three rack toms, and two floor toms, Sound of White Noise (1993) features a DW Collector's Series maple kit, Sabian AA/HH cymbals, DW 5000 pedals, and a streamlined groove-metal configuration of dual 22" x 18" bass drums, three rack toms, and a single floor tom. Stylistically, Charlie pulled back from sustained thrash double bass in favor of groove-anchored playing with weight, restraint, and dynamic sensitivity — a complete rethinking that supported John Bush's arrival as Anthrax's new vocalist and the band's broader genre pivot. For the thrash-era counterpart, see the [Among the Living drum setup article](/articles/charlie-benante-among-the-living-drum-setup).