Charlie Benante's Drum Setup on Anthrax's Stomp 442 (1995) | MetalForge
Charlie Benante recorded Stomp 442 (1995) on a Tama Artstar Custom kit with a Tama Artstar Custom Brass Snare snare.
Complete breakdown of Charlie Benante's drum setup on Anthrax's Stomp 442 (1995) — the John Bush-era groove metal pivot recorded without Dan Spitz, featuring...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Charlie Benante use on Stomp 442?
Charlie Benante used the same Tama Artstar Custom kit on Stomp 442 (1995) that he had played on Sound of White Noise (1993) and Persistence of Time (1990) — dual 22" x 16" bass drums, three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a single 16" floor tom with birch shells. For Stomp 442, the kit was tuned lower and damped more heavily to match the album's heavier, more down-tuned guitar work and the Butcher Bros.' tighter production approach.
Did Dimebag Darrell really play on Stomp 442?
Yes. Pantera's Dimebag Darrell guested on guitar on two Stomp 442 tracks — "King Size" and "Riding Shotgun" — filling part of the lead guitar void left by Dan Spitz's departure during the album's writing. Other guitar duties were split between touring guitarist Paul Crook (who played uncredited lead on four tracks), guitarist Mike Tempesta ("American Pompeii"), and drummer Charlie Benante himself.
Who produced Stomp 442 and how did that affect the drum sound?
Stomp 442 was produced by Anthrax together with the Butcher Bros. (Mike and Chris Barbiero) at Studio 4 in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania. Compared to Dave Jerden's room-heavy, ambient approach on Sound of White Noise, the Butcher Bros. favored a tighter, more compressed drum sound — lower-tuned, more heavily damped bass drums and a fatter, lower-tuned snare — that matched the album's heavier, more groove-driven songwriting.
What is the significance of 'Random Acts of Senseless Violence'?
"Random Acts of Senseless Violence" opens Stomp 442 and is widely regarded as Charlie Benante's signature groove-metal showcase from the John Bush era — alternating sustained, thrash-speed double bass runs with mid-tempo, pocket-heavy groove sections within a single track. It remains a fan-favorite live staple and is often cited as the clearest example of Benante's ability to bridge his thrash-pioneering technique with Anthrax's mid-90s groove-metal direction.
How does Stomp 442 compare to Sound of White Noise drum-wise?
Stomp 442 (1995) refines rather than reinvents the setup Charlie Benante used on Sound of White Noise (1993) — the same Tama Artstar Custom kit, Tama brass snare, and Paiste 2002/RUDE cymbal foundation, with a 19" RUDE Crash/Ride added for extra weight. The tuning shifted noticeably: lower, more heavily damped bass drums and a fatter, lower-tuned snare reflect the album's heavier, more down-tuned guitar work, recorded without Dan Spitz and produced by the Butcher Bros. rather than Dave Jerden. For the prior chapter, see the [Sound of White Noise drum setup article](/articles/sound-of-white-noise-drum-setup); for the next chapter in the John Bush era, see [Volume 8: The Threat Is Real drum setup](/articles/volume-8-drum-setup).