Best Bass Drums for Extreme Metal in 2026 | MetalForge Expert Guide
Best bass drums for extreme metal blast beats and double bass. 22" vs 24" vs twin-kick setups — what Mario Duplantier, Tomas Haake, George Kollias, and Gene Hoglan actually play, from budget to pro.
Frequently Asked Questions
What bass drums do extreme metal drummers use?
22"x18" is the extreme metal standard — George Kollias plays a Pearl Masterworks, Gene Hoglan plays a Pearl Reference Pure, and Joey Jordison played a Tama Starclassic Performer, all at this size. Tomas Haake (Meshuggah) uses an oversized 24"x18" Sonor SQ2 for maximum low-end weight, while Mario Duplantier (Gojira) and Martin Axenrot (Opeth) both run dual 22"x18" bass drums instead of a double pedal.
What size bass drum is best for blast beats?
22"x18" offers the best balance of speed and projection for blast beats past 200 BPM — it's what George Kollias, the world's fastest recorded death metal drummer, plays. Larger 24" shells add low-end weight but respond marginally slower at the fastest tempos.
22" vs 24" bass drum for metal?
22" is faster and more portable, and it's the standard among extreme metal's fastest players (George Kollias, Gene Hoglan). 24" (Tomas Haake's Meshuggah setup) delivers significantly more low-end weight, useful for downtuned, polyrhythmic riffing, at a small cost to response speed.
Should I use a double pedal or dual bass drums?
A double pedal on a single 22" bass drum (George Kollias, Gene Hoglan) is more compact, portable, and the standard for most touring extreme metal drummers. Dual bass drums (Mario Duplantier, Martin Axenrot) trade portability and floor space for a more organic, independently-tunable low-end from each kick.
What bass drum head is best for extreme metal?
Reinforced batter heads — Evans EMAD or Remo Powerstroke 3 — are the extreme metal standard. Both handle the sustained abuse of extreme double bass and blast beats far better than standard single-ply heads, which wear through quickly under constant beater impact.