Dave Lombardo's Drum Setup on Slayer's South of Heaven (1988) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Dave Lombardo use on South of Heaven?

Dave Lombardo used the same Tama Artstar II kit for South of Heaven (1988) that he had used on Reign in Blood (1986) — birch shells with die-cast hoops, two 22x16-inch bass drums, 10-inch and 12-inch rack toms, and 14-inch and 16-inch floor toms. Rick Rubin produced both albums, and the setup remained consistent across the two sessions. The difference between the albums is entirely in the tempo and musical approach, not the equipment.

Why did Slayer slow down on South of Heaven?

Slayer deliberately slowed the tempos on South of Heaven as a creative statement — they had taken Reign in Blood's speed as far as it could go, and they wanted to prove they could make a compelling record at mid-paced tempos. Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman designed the album around groove-driven riffs rather than blast-beat structures. For Dave Lombardo, this meant demonstrating a different dimension of his playing: the restraint and feel that Reign in Blood's relentless pace hadn't required. The decision divided fans but demonstrated the band's range.

What cymbals did Dave Lombardo use on South of Heaven?

Dave Lombardo used the same Paiste RUDE and 2002 Series cymbal combination on South of Heaven that he had used on Reign in Blood. The setup included Paiste 2002 14-inch Sound Edge Hi-Hats, Paiste RUDE 18-inch and 19-inch Wild Crashes, a Paiste 2002 20-inch Medium Ride, Paiste 2002 18-inch China, and Paiste RUDE 20-inch Wild China. At the slower tempos of South of Heaven, the cymbals' decay characteristics are more audible than on Reign in Blood — the Wild Crashes sustain between hits, and the Ride is used more prominently in groove contexts.

Is South of Heaven harder to drum than Reign in Blood?

South of Heaven requires a different kind of difficulty than Reign in Blood. Reign in Blood demands sustained stamina at extreme tempos — physical endurance, precise double bass execution at 220-250+ BPM, and blast beat consistency over 29 intense minutes. South of Heaven demands groove and feel — the ability to deliver a compelling performance at slower tempos where every technical element is exposed. Many drummers find the latter harder: playing slowly well is a skill separate from playing fast, and Lombardo's performance on tracks like "Mandatory Suicide" demonstrates a groove vocabulary that Reign in Blood's format simply didn't require.

How does South of Heaven fit in the Lombardo-era Slayer discography?

South of Heaven (1988) sits between Reign in Blood (1986) and Seasons in the Abyss (1990) in the Lombardo-era Slayer arc. It represents the midpoint of a deliberate tempo evolution: Show No Mercy (1983) was raw and fast; Reign in Blood (1986) was the extreme speed peak; South of Heaven (1988) introduced groove and mid-pace dynamics; Seasons in the Abyss (1990) consolidated that range. After South of Heaven, Lombardo left Slayer for the first time, not returning until Diabolus in Musica (1998) and then the Grammy-winning Christ Illusion (2006). Understanding South of Heaven's place in the arc explains why Lombardo's playing on that album represents a pivot point in his documented development.