Shannon Larkin's Drum Setup on Godsmack's The Oracle (2010) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Shannon Larkin use on Godsmack's The Oracle?

On Godsmack's *The Oracle* (2010), Shannon Larkin used a Pearl Reference Series kit — Pearl's flagship professional shell pack with a maple/birch hybrid shell construction. The configuration ran double 22" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms — the same spread he used on *IV* (2006) and *Faceless* (2003). His snares included a Pearl Free-Floating 14"x6.5" brass shell and a Pearl Sensitone 14"x6.5", rotated across tracks for tonal variety. For his complete gear history across Godsmack albums, see the [Shannon Larkin drummer profile](/drummer/shannon-larkin).

Where was The Oracle recorded?

*The Oracle* was recorded at Sully Erna's home studio in Massachusetts. Dave Fortman (Evanescence, Slipknot, Mudvayne) co-produced the album alongside Erna. The home-studio environment gave the band extended time for drum tuning, head selection, and microphone-placement experimentation that arena-tier commercial facilities, with their billable hours, often preclude. The result is a drum sound on *The Oracle* that is considered and settled — Shannon Larkin's Pearl Reference kit tracked with the kind of patience that lets each track's arrangement get the kit voice it needs.

How did The Oracle chart on the Billboard 200?

*The Oracle* (released May 4, 2010, on Universal Republic Records) debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 — Godsmack's third consecutive studio album to do so, following *Faceless* (2003) and *IV* (2006). That achievement is remarkable in retrospect: by 2010, hard rock's commercial environment had shifted significantly toward streaming-era economics, and a #1 debut for a hard rock band on a major label was no longer routine. *The Oracle* delivered exactly that, anchored by the singles "Cryin' Like a Bitch" and "Love-Hate-Sex-Pain." Shannon Larkin's drumming — driving the album's heavier tracks with the Pearl Reference kit and Pearl Demon Drive pedal, anchoring its mid-tempo material with the Pearl Free-Floating brass snare's complex voice — was central to the album's commercial and critical reception.

What pedal does Shannon Larkin use on The Oracle?

On *The Oracle* (2010), Shannon Larkin used the Pearl Demon Drive double bass pedal — Pearl's flagship direct-drive double pedal of the late-2000s era. The Demon Drive moved Larkin from the chain-drive Eliminator he used on *IV* (2006) into Pearl's direct-drive territory, which delivers the most immediate response between footboard and beater. For *The Oracle*'s double-kick passages — including the heavier sections of the title track and album cuts — the Demon Drive's direct feel allowed Larkin to play the album's foot patterns with maximum response consistency. See the [Shannon Larkin drummer profile](/drummer/shannon-larkin) for his complete current hardware setup.

What sticks does Shannon Larkin use?

By *The Oracle* (2010), Shannon Larkin had formalized his signature stick relationship with Vater Percussion — the Vater Shannon Larkin Signature model, developed in collaboration with Vater to match his hard rock playing demands. The signature stick uses hickory construction, balanced for both backbeat power and cymbal articulation. The model represents a key element of Larkin's mature professional setup — a signature stick is the kind of long-term endorsement that reflects a player's settled, refined approach to his rig. See the [Shannon Larkin complete gear guide](/articles/shannon-larkin-drum-setup) for context on his stick choices across his career.

What cymbals does Shannon Larkin use on The Oracle?

Shannon Larkin is a long-time Sabian artist. On *The Oracle* (2010), he used a Sabian HH / HHX dual-series configuration — continuing the cymbal voice he had developed across the *IV* (2006) sessions and the touring that followed. His setup included Sabian HH 14" Medium Hi-Hats, HHX 17" and 19" Evolution Crashes, an HHX 21" Raw Bell Dry Ride, an HH 18" Chinese cymbal, and an AAX 10" Splash. The HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride in particular is the cymbal most associated with Larkin's settled Godsmack sound — its dry, contained body wash and sharply defined bell deliver the time-keeping complexity his playing requires.