George Kollias Drum Setup: Nile's 'Those Whom the Gods Detest' (2009) Gear Breakdown | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit does George Kollias use on Those Whom the Gods Detest?

On Nile's 'Those Whom the Gods Detest' (2009, Nuclear Blast), George Kollias played a Pearl Reference Maple kit — a significant shift from the Tama Starclassic Maple he used on 'Annihilation of the Wicked' (2005). The Reference Maple configuration featured a double 22" kick drum setup, 10/12/14" rack toms, and a 16" floor tom. The kit is paired with a Pearl Free-Floating 14" x 6.5" snare. For full kit history and current setup, see: [George Kollias complete gear breakdown](/articles/whats-in-george-kollias-kit). For the earlier Nile album comparison: [Annihilation of the Wicked drum setup](/articles/george-kollias-nile-annihilation-drum-setup).

How fast is George Kollias on Those Whom the Gods Detest?

George Kollias sustains blast beats at 240–270 BPM on 'Those Whom the Gods Detest,' with 'Kafir!' representing one of the album's most demanding sustained-tempo passages at approximately 260–270 BPM. Kollias is Guinness World Record-certified for sustaining 280 BPM single strokes — by the 2009 album his technique and equipment (Pearl Demon Drive direct-drive pedals) had matured to deliver more consistent, even-dynamics kick performance at these extremes than his earlier DW 9002 era. What distinguishes his speed is not peak BPM but sustained clarity across entire tracks — see [George Kollias at MetalForge](/drummer/george-kollias) for full technique breakdown.

What cymbals does George Kollias use on Those Whom the Gods Detest?

George Kollias plays Meinl Byzance series cymbals on 'Those Whom the Gods Detest' (2009). The setup includes 14" Byzance Medium hi-hats, 17"/18"/19" Byzance crashes, a 20" Byzance Medium ride, and an 18" Byzance China. The Byzance series — cast from B20 bronze and handcrafted — provides the articulation at 240+ BPM that Nile's rhythmically complex compositions require while retaining enough tonal complexity for the album's melodically aware passages. Kollias has been a Meinl endorser through his entire Nile tenure; the Byzance series appears on all his major Nile recordings.

What pedals does George Kollias use on Those Whom the Gods Detest?

By the 'Those Whom the Gods Detest' (2009) sessions, George Kollias was performing on Pearl Demon Drive double bass drum pedals — transitioning from the DW 9002 he used on 'Annihilation of the Wicked' (2005). The Demon Drive's direct-drive mechanism eliminates the mechanical slack of chain-drive systems, providing instant foot-to-beater response at 260–270 BPM. This engineering directly informed Kollias's later Pearl Demon XR co-design collaboration. The Demon Drive era represents the platform on which his technique fully matured.

Why is Those Whom the Gods Detest significant for death metal drumming?

'Those Whom the Gods Detest' (Nile, 2009) is Nile's best-selling and best-charting album worldwide — a commercial and critical breakthrough for uncompromising technical death metal. For drumming specifically, it captures George Kollias four years into his Nile tenure with mature technique, optimized Pearl Reference Maple gear, and Demon Drive pedal precision. The album demonstrates that extreme-speed drumming can coexist with dynamic awareness, polyrhythmic complexity, and compositional intelligence — not merely raw BPM achievement. Allmusic: 4/5; Metal Music Archives: 9/10. It anchors the Nile discography between the debut 'Annihilation of the Wicked' (2005) and later records, making it the natural starting point for studying Kollias's middle-career peak. See: [Annihilation of the Wicked drum setup](/articles/george-kollias-nile-annihilation-drum-setup).