Best China Cymbals for Mathcore in 2026 | MetalForge Expert Guide
Discover the best china cymbals for mathcore drumming. Expert recommendations on fast-attack, dissonant accent cymbals built for odd-time signature aggression, featuring the china setups favored by Ben Koller, Blake Richardson, and Danny Carey.
Frequently Asked Questions
What china cymbal does Ben Koller use?
Ben Koller of Converge plays an 18" Zildjian K and A Custom China, a setup that anchored mathcore's founding cymbal sound on Converge's landmark "Jane Doe" (2001).
What china cymbal does Blake Richardson use?
Blake Richardson of Between the Buried and Me plays a 21" Sabian AAX Holy China, handling BTBAM's genre-hopping technicality with a trashy, dissonant tone (switched from Meinl in 2018).
Why does mathcore need a more dissonant china than typical metalcore?
Mathcore's irregular time signatures and sudden tempo shifts call for a jarring, unpredictable accent rather than a clean, controlled trash. The Sabian AAX Holy China — played by Blake Richardson — delivers that trashy, dissonant character.
What's the best budget china cymbal for mathcore?
The Zildjian ZBT China (€70-90) shares brand DNA with Ben Koller's A Custom setup at a fraction of the price. The Sabian XSR Fast China (€100-130) is a strong step up, bringing B20 bronze to a mid-range price in a fast-responding 16" size.