Best Bass Drums for Black Metal in 2026 | MetalForge Expert Guide
Best bass drums for black metal blast beats and raw, resonant tone. What Hellhammer (Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech), Inferno (Pearl Reference Pure), and Frost (Tama Starclassic Bubinga) actually play — from budget to pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
What bass drums do black metal drummers use?
Hellhammer of Mayhem plays a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech, Inferno of Behemoth and Gorgoroth plays a Pearl Reference Pure, and Frost of Satyricon and 1349 plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga. All three run a single 22"x18" bass drum with a double pedal rather than dual kick drums.
Why do black metal drummers use less muffling than death metal drummers?
Black metal typically wants the bass drum to blend into the wall of raw, tremolo-picked guitar tone rather than cut cleanly through it the way a tightly muffled death metal kick does. Minimal muffling lets the shell resonate and wash into the mix, which is central to the genre's raw, atmospheric character.
What size bass drum is best for black metal?
22"x18" is the black metal standard, matching Hellhammer, Inferno, and Frost's setups — it balances enough low-end weight for icy, atmospheric passages with the speed needed for sustained blast beats. Some drummers use 20" for a tighter, more aggressive punch.
Should I use a thin or thick shell for black metal?
It depends on your style. Thin, unreinforced maple (Inferno's Pearl Reference Pure) maximizes resonance and articulation for technical black/death hybrid playing. Heavy beech shells (Hellhammer's Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech) give a bit more body and durability while still resonating far more openly than a heavily muffled death metal kick.
What bass drum head is best for black metal?
Single-ply, lightly coated batter heads are the black metal standard, letting the shell speak more freely than the reinforced heads death metal favors. Drummers who tour heavily sometimes step up to a reinforced head for durability, at a small cost to raw openness.