The Unspoken King Drum Setup: Flo Mounier's 2008 Cryptopsy Gear | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drum kit did Flo Mounier use on The Unspoken King?

On Cryptopsy's The Unspoken King (2008), Flo Mounier used the same Yamaha Recording Custom kit as the previous album Once Was Not (2005) — but with different tuning and head configuration to serve the album's more dynamic musical approach. The shells are the same 7-ply birch Recording Custom drums in the same configuration (22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, 14" and 16" floor toms), but the tuning was adjusted to provide more body and resonance for the album's melodic passages while still accommodating the blast beat sections. This demonstrates that the same physical kit can serve very different musical contexts through thoughtful tuning rather than equipment replacement.

What happened to Cryptopsy in 2008 and how did it affect the drums?

In 2008, Cryptopsy released The Unspoken King with new vocalist Matt McGachy, who introduced clean vocals into the band's sound for the first time. This caused significant controversy among fans who expected the band to continue in the extreme technical death metal direction of Once Was Not (2005). For Flo Mounier's drumming specifically, the change meant adapting his blast beat-centered approach to accommodate melodic vocal passages — deploying dynamic range he had always possessed but rarely needed to deploy in Cryptopsy's previous extreme context. His ride cymbal saw significantly more use, his ghost note technique became more prominent, and snare tuning was calibrated for both extreme and dynamic contexts. The controversy was about Cryptopsy's musical direction, not Flo's performance — his execution remained technically impeccable throughout.

How does The Unspoken King drum setup differ from Once Was Not?

The Unspoken King (2008) uses the same Yamaha Recording Custom shells and Zildjian ZXT cymbals as Once Was Not (2005), but with key configuration differences. The primary changes: (1) Head tension was reduced slightly on toms and snare to add body for melodic passages; (2) Bass drum muffling was adjusted for more resonance in dynamic contexts; (3) The ride cymbal was more prominently featured — serving a rhythmic accompaniment role in clean vocal sections that was absent on Once Was Not. These are tuning and technique adaptations rather than equipment changes, reflecting Flo's approach of configuring existing tools for new musical demands rather than changing gear for each album.

Is The Unspoken King considered a good drum performance despite the album controversy?

Yes. While The Unspoken King remains Cryptopsy's most controversial album due to its clean vocal direction and departure from extreme technical death metal, Flo Mounier's drum performance is consistently recognized as technically strong. The album required him to expand his dynamic range beyond the blast beat-dominant approach of previous Cryptopsy records, deploying groove playing, ghost note technique, and ride cymbal-based rhythmic accompaniment alongside the extreme passages that remained in the material. His ability to adapt to the melodic context without compromising technical precision — moving between blast intensity and musical accompaniment within the same track — demonstrates a broader command of the instrument than any previous Cryptopsy album had required. The controversy about the album is about direction; the execution is not in question.

What cymbals did Flo Mounier use on The Unspoken King?

On The Unspoken King (2008), Flo Mounier continued using the Zildjian ZXT series he had introduced on Once Was Not (2005). The cymbal selection remained the same — 14" ZXT Hi-Hats, 16" and 18" ZXT Crashes, 20" ZXT Ride, 18" ZXT China — but the proportional deployment changed significantly from the previous album. The 20" ZXT Ride played a much more prominent role, functioning as a primary rhythmic voice in the groove and melodic passages that The Unspoken King introduced. The hi-hats also alternated more frequently between blast-mode tight chicking and open groove articulation, reflecting the album's wider dynamic context.