Sixpounder Double Bass Drive — Jaska Raatikainen (Children of Bodom) Drum Lick | MetalForge
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Learn the Sixpounder Double Bass Drive drum lick by Jaska Raatikainen of Children of Bodom. From Sixpounder (Hate Crew Deathroll (2003)). "Sixpounder" opens Children of Bodom's 2003 album Hate Crew Deathroll and is one of Jaska Raatikaine...
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1. Jaska Raatikainen's Signature Licks — "Sixpounder" opens Children of Bodom's 2003 album Hate Crew Deathroll and is one of Jaska Raatikainen's most recognisable performances. The record marked a turning point for the band's drumming: Raatikainen leaned harder into double-bass pedalling than on any previous Bodom album, and "Sixpounder" is the song where that shift is most obvious. The track rides on a fast, driving foundation — galloping double-kick patterns under Alexi Laiho and Janne Wirman's duelling guitar-and-keyboard leads — while the snare keeps a punchy, on-the-grid backbeat that gives the melodic-death chaos something solid to push against. What makes Raatikainen's playing on it so effective is restraint: rather than blasting constantly, he picks his spots, using sustained double-bass runs to lift the choruses and tight fills to mark the transitions between the neoclassical lead sections. It is a masterclass in supporting a busy, melody-driven band without cluttering the arrangement. For drummers, "Sixpounder" is an excellent stamina and coordination study. The double-bass passages demand even, controlled foot technique held over long stretches at high tempo, and the snare backbeat has to stay strong and consistent while the feet do the heavy lifting underneath. Because the song is built on a clear, repeating structure, it is approachable enough to learn in sections, yet fast enough to genuinely build endurance and speed. It also teaches an important musical lesson that defined Children of Bodom's sound — the drums exist to drive the song and frame the melodies, not to dominate them. Working through it develops double-bass control, backbeat consistency, and the judgement to know when to fill and when to lock in and drive. Spend a few weeks with it and you will notice your double-bass endurance and your ability to hold a steady backbeat under fast feet both improve markedly, which is exactly the foundation the rest of the Children of Bodom catalogue is built on.2. Jaska Raatikainen Profile — Hold an even, controlled double-bass pattern under the verse without rushing Keep the snare backbeat strong and on-grid while the feet carry the drive Lift the choruses with sustained double-kick runs rather than constant blasting Mark each transition into a lead section with a short, decisive fill Build the song in sections so the high-tempo passages develop real stamina
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