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 the same Tama Artstar Custom birch kit on Sound of White Noise (1993) that he had played on Persistence of Time (1990) — there was no gear switch to go with the album's groove-metal pivot. The setup included dual 22" x 16" bass drums, three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a single 16" floor tom with birch shells. The kit was tuned lower and damped more heavily than on the thrash records, reflecting the album's weightier groove-metal aesthetic.

Did Charlie Benante switch drum brands for Sound of White Noise?

No. Charlie Benante stayed on his Tama kit and Paiste cymbals for Sound of White Noise, the same brands he had endorsed since the mid-1980s. The album's groove-metal pivot and Dave Jerden's mid-range-heavy production aesthetic were achieved through tuning, damping, and room-heavy miking, not a change in equipment. Benante didn't move away from Tama drums, Paiste cymbals, and Vic Firth sticks until decades later, when he added Roland electronics and switched to Tama's Speed Cobra pedals in 2010.

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

Charlie Benante used Paiste cymbals on Sound of White Noise, the same 2002/RUDE setup he had played throughout the Joey Belladonna era. His 1993 configuration included 14" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 16" and 17" 2002 Crashes, an 18" RUDE Crash/Ride, a 22" 2002 Heavy Ride, and an 18" 2002 China. This mix of bright 2002 cymbals and the darker RUDE crash/ride gave him the tonal range the album's broader stylistic reach required, without any change in endorsement.

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 — achieved on the same Tama kit and Paiste cymbals Benante had always used.

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

Sound of White Noise represents a fundamental change in Charlie Benante's drum approach compared to Among the Living, but not in his equipment. Both albums feature the same Tama birch kit and Paiste 2002/RUDE cymbals; where Among the Living (1987) ran a thrash-optimized configuration of dual 22" x 16" bass drums, three rack toms, and two floor toms tuned bright and punchy, Sound of White Noise (1993) runs a streamlined single-floor-tom setup tuned lower and damped heavier for groove weight. Stylistically, Charlie pulled back from sustained thrash double bass in favor of groove-anchored playing with weight, restraint, and dynamic sensitivity — a complete rethinking of technique 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).