George Kollias Drum Setup: Nile's 'Vile Nilotic Rites' (2019) Gear Breakdown | MetalForge
George Kollias recorded Vile Nilotic Rites (2019) on a Pearl Masterworks Stadium Exotic kit with a Pearl Free-Floating Snare snare.
Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and pedals George Kollias used on Nile's 'Vile Nilotic Rites' (2019) — the album where his Pearl Masterworks Stadium Ex...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does George Kollias use on Vile Nilotic Rites?
On Nile's 'Vile Nilotic Rites' (2019, Nuclear Blast), George Kollias played a Pearl Masterworks Stadium Exotic kit — a maple/birch hybrid shell package with double 22" x 18" bass drums, 10/12" rack toms, and 14/16" floor toms. This marked his upgrade from the Pearl Reference Maple kit used on 'Those Whom the Gods Detest' and 'At the Gate of Sethu,' and remains his current flagship kit. See the full current gear breakdown: [What's in George Kollias's Kit](/articles/whats-in-george-kollias-kit).
How fast does George Kollias play on Vile Nilotic Rites?
George Kollias sustains blast beats between 210–270 BPM on 'Vile Nilotic Rites,' with 'Seven Horns of War' widely cited as a benchmark track for his sustained blast beat consistency at extreme tempo. He is Guinness World Record-certified for sustaining 280 BPM single strokes, and fifteen years into his Nile tenure by this album, his technique shows no plateau in speed or clarity. Full technique breakdown: [George Kollias at MetalForge](/drummer/george-kollias).
What cymbals does George Kollias use on Vile Nilotic Rites?
'Vile Nilotic Rites' (2019) is the first Nile album to feature Zildjian cymbals in George Kollias's setup — a 14" K Mastersound hi-hat pair and a 21" A Custom Mega Bell Ride — alongside his long-standing Meinl Byzance crash spread (17"/18"/19") and 18" China. This transitional mixed-brand configuration marks the beginning of his shift toward the all-Zildjian setup on his current kit.
What pedals does George Kollias use on Vile Nilotic Rites?
George Kollias played the Pearl Demon XR double bass drum pedal on 'Vile Nilotic Rites' (2019) — the pedal he co-designed with Pearl, released in 2015 and fully matured across four years of use by these sessions. Paired with his Vic Firth SGK George Kollias Signature sticks (adopted 2012), this album is the first where nearly his entire rig was either signature or co-designed equipment.
Why is Vile Nilotic Rites significant in George Kollias's gear history?
'Vile Nilotic Rites' (Nile, 2019) marks George Kollias's transition to the Pearl Masterworks Stadium Exotic kit that remains his current flagship setup, and documents the first Zildjian cymbals entering his rig alongside his long-standing Meinl Byzance pieces. Produced by guitarist Karl Sanders with drums tracked in Kollias's native Athens, Greece, it is Nile's most recent studio album and completes a 6-album Nile drum-setup arc spanning 'Annihilation of the Wicked' (2005) through 2019. See the complete arc: [Ithyphallic drum setup (2007)](/articles/ithyphallic-drum-setup), [At the Gate of Sethu drum setup (2012)](/articles/at-the-gate-of-sethu-drum-setup), and [What Should Not Be Unearthed drum setup (2015)](/articles/what-should-not-be-unearthed-drum-setup).