Blake Richardson's Drum Setup on The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Blake Richardson use on The Parallax II: Future Sequence?

Blake Richardson used a refined DW Collector's Series kit on The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012) — the same shell design he had established on Alaska (2005) and Colors (2007), precisely dialed in after seven years of touring. The kit features North American Hard Rock Maple shells: 22"x18" bass drum (driven by DW 9002 double pedal), three rack toms (10", 12", 13"), and a 16" floor tom. Full drummer profile at [Blake Richardson at MetalForge](/drummer/blake-richardson).

What is Blake Richardson's drum setup on 'Telos' from The Parallax II?

'Telos' is the most studied drum performance in Richardson's BTBAM catalog — a nine-minute track on The Parallax II (2012) demonstrating his metric modulation approach and compositional double-bass technique at full development. His setup for this and the rest of the album: DW Collector's Series 22"x18" kick driven by a DW 9002 double pedal, three rack toms, 16" floor tom, Meinl Byzance 14" Dark Hi-Hats, Extra Dry Thin Crashes, Extra Dry Ride, Dark Crash, and Byzance China. The Byzance Extra Dry Ride is particularly critical on 'Telos' — its controlled, minimal wash keeps Richardson's metric modulation sequences clearly articulated through the track's most complex rhythmic passages. See the [odd-time signatures technique guide](/technique/odd-time-signatures) for a breakdown of the metric modulation concepts deployed.

Why is The Parallax II considered Blake Richardson's best drumming?

The Parallax II: Future Sequence (2012) is widely considered Richardson's peak recorded performance because it represents every element of his technique at its most developed: metric modulation across extended 74-minute concept album structures, jazz-influenced ghost note vocabulary and hi-hat independence, compositional double-bass density variation, and the fill architecture that connects BTBAM's genre-shifting sections. The album's demands are unique — 74 minutes of continuous compositional complexity with dramatic feel changes within single tracks — and Richardson executes every transition with musical intelligence rather than technical demonstration. Prog Magazine's designation of The Parallax II as album of the decade reflects the record's broader musical achievement; Richardson's drumming is central to why that achievement was possible.

What cymbals does Blake Richardson use on The Parallax II?

Blake Richardson played an expanded Meinl Byzance setup on The Parallax II (2012), combining Dark and Extra Dry sub-series for a wider tonal palette than his earlier primarily Extra Dry Alaska-era setup. Configuration: Meinl Byzance 14" Dark Hi-Hats (jazz-inflected passages), Extra Dry 17" Thin Crash (fast accent), Dark 18" Crash (fuller sustain), Extra Dry 20" Ride (controlled odd-time articulation), 10" Dark Splash (rapid transition punctuation), and 18" Byzance China (death metal accents). The dual Dark/Extra Dry approach reflects the 74-minute concept album's greater tonal range requirements.