How to Sound Like Adrian Erlandsson — Drum Gear & Setup Guide | MetalForge
Replicate Adrian Erlandsson's At the Gates drum sound. Gear list, settings, and technique tips to get that signature tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes Adrian Erlandsson's drumming style unique?
Erlandsson's defining trait is disciplined D-beat-and-blast-beat drumming that always serves the melody rather than overwhelming it. Rather than technical complexity, his identity is built on rhythmic consistency — the D-beat groove he laid down on At the Gates' Slaughter of the Soul (1995) became the template that hundreds of melodic death metal and metalcore bands spent the following decades emulating.
What drums and cymbals does Adrian Erlandsson use?
Erlandsson currently plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a matched 14" x 6.5" bubinga snare. His cymbals are Sabian AAX and HHX — 15" HHX Xcelerator hi-hats, a 20" AAX Iso crash, and a 19" Paragon China for accent work. He uses a Monolit Czarcie Kopyto double pedal and an official Vic Firth signature stick model bearing the At the Gates name. On Slaughter of the Soul (1995), his setup was a budget Pearl Export or Studio Fredman house kit with Zildjian A-Series cymbals and a true two-kick double bass configuration.
How do I get Adrian Erlandsson's Gothenburg drum sound?
Tune the kick for punchy, defined attack, keep the snare high-tension with minimal muffling for a dry crack, and lock in the basic D-beat groove at a reduced tempo before chasing speed. Erlandsson's sound comes from rhythmic discipline at 160-200 BPM, not raw technical complexity — every D-beat and blast pattern exists to drive the melody, not compete with it.
Which bands has Adrian Erlandsson played drums for?
Adrian Erlandsson co-founded At the Gates (1990-present), founded The Haunted (1996-1999, rejoined 2013-present), played in Cradle of Filth (1999-2006), and drummed for Paradise Lost (2009-2016) — often juggling multiple active bands at once. He is the brother of Arch Enemy's Daniel Erlandsson.
Is Adrian Erlandsson related to Daniel Erlandsson?
Yes — Adrian and Daniel Erlandsson are brothers, both prominent drummers from the same Gothenburg, Sweden melodic death metal scene. Adrian plays with At the Gates (and previously The Haunted and Cradle of Filth), while Daniel has been Arch Enemy's drummer since 2005. The two brothers independently shaped Gothenburg's rhythmic vocabulary from different angles — Adrian's D-beat foundation, Daniel's blast-beat precision.