# And Then You'll Beg Drum Setup: Flo Mounier's Most Complex Work

> Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Flo Mounier used to record Cryptopsy's And Then You'll Beg. Complete breakdown of the Pearl Masters BRX, Paiste Alpha cymbals, and DW 9000 pedals behind the most technically demanding blast-beat album of 2000.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Flo Mounier](/llms/drummers/flo-mounier.md)
**Band / Album:** Cryptopsy — *And Then You'll Beg* (2000)
**Genre:** Technical Death Metal

## Overview

Released in 2000 on Century Media Records, "And Then You'll Beg" represents the apex of Flo Mounier's technical ambition. Cryptopsy's fourth studio album pushed complexity beyond what the band had achieved on [None So Vile drum setup](/articles/none-so-vile-drum-setup) (1996) or [Whisper Supremacy drum setup](/articles/whisper-supremacy-drum-setup) (1998), introducing extended odd-time passages in 11/8 and 13/8, blast beat variations that had never appeared on record before, and progressive compositional arcs that demanded complete command of the entire kit.

The album marked Cryptopsy's first significant lineup change: Lord Worm was replaced by Mike DiSalvo on vocals. With the lineup in transition, the instrumental performances — particularly Flo's drumming — carry the band's identity with complete authority.

Producer Pierre Rémillard returned to Studio Victor in Montreal, applying the same precision-focused recording philosophy that had served the band since None So Vile. The result is widely regarded as Flo Mounier's most technically demanding recorded performance.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Masters BRX Series (Natural / Black burst finish)
- **Bass Drum:** 26" x 18" — significantly larger than his previous 22-inch configurations
- **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Paiste Alpha Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9000 Double Pedal; DW 9000 Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-n-Soc Nitro Throne; Vic Firth 5A American Classic
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Diplomat Snare Side (resonant); Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear with felt muffling strip (bass drum)
- **Snare tuning:** High tension, balanced for both blast beat clarity and progressive passage articulation

### Flo's 2000 Arsenal: Pearl Masters BRX with 26" Bass Drum

By 2000, Flo Mounier had upgraded from the Pearl MX Series of None So Vile to the Pearl Masters BRX — Pearl's professional flagship line featuring hybrid maple/birch shell construction and a full hardware overhaul. The most significant change is the 26-inch bass drum, a configuration unusual in death metal at the time.

The 26-inch diameter generates a fundamentally different low-frequency profile: longer wavelength, more room-filling low-end, and a slower initial transient compared to the 22-inch drums common in extreme metal. Flo compensated by dampening the head aggressively and tuning the resonant head lower than typical, preserving the attack click while exploiting the deeper chamber for sustained low-frequency weight.

The Masters BRX shell construction — Pearl's Superior Shell Technology laminating alternating maple and birch plies — delivered tighter manufacturing tolerances than the MX Series. At extreme tempos, shell consistency translates directly to predictable resonance, which matters when executing 11/8 blast beat patterns where any unpredictable ring buildup would obscure individual strokes.

### The Paiste Alpha Cymbal Foundation

The shift from Sabian AA to Paiste Alpha for this album represents a meaningful change in Flo's sonic palette. The Paiste Alpha series — built from CuSn8 bronze — delivers a brighter, overtone-rich sound profile with a slightly more complex decay that benefits progressive passages without compromising blast beat clarity.

The 14" Alpha Medium Hi-Hats formed the rhythmic core of every blast beat. At blast beat tempos exceeding 260 BPM, hi-hat articulation is the primary differentiator between technical and indistinct playing. The Alpha's focused top hat profile produced tight, consistent articulation even at extreme hand speeds.

For crashes, a 16" and 18" Alpha Medium Crash pair handled accent work — the 16" marking time signature shifts in odd-time sections, the 18" covering broader dynamic moments. The 20" Alpha Metal Ride provided bell definition for intricate ride patterns, while the 18" Alpha China delivered the aggressive accents that punctuate Cryptopsy's most intense section transitions.

### The DW 9000 Double Pedal

The DW 9000 double pedal provided a different mechanical feel from the Pearl Eliminator of the None So Vile era. The dual-chain drive and floating rotor system delivered more inherent rebound, which Flo exploited for layered foot patterns in the album's odd-time sections. On the 26-inch bass drum, the pedal's adjustable beater angle allowed precise tuning of the impact point for maximum attack transient on the deeper shell.

## Key Facts

- Recorded at Studio Victor, Montreal in 2000
- Producer Pierre Rémillard — consistent with None So Vile and Whisper Supremacy sessions
- Pearl Masters BRX kit with 26-inch bass drum — upgraded from the 22-inch MX Series of 1996
- Paiste Alpha cymbals — transition from Sabian AA of earlier recordings
- DW 9000 double pedal — transition from Pearl Eliminator
- Features odd-time blast beat sections in 11/8 and 13/8
- First Cryptopsy album with Mike DiSalvo on vocals
- Flo Mounier was approximately 26 years old during recording
- Estimated kit value: $3,500-5,000 (2000 prices)
- Estimated snare value: $350-500 (2000)

## The Odd-Time Blast Beat — What Makes This Album Unique

What separates "And Then You'll Beg" from the technical death metal field of 2000 is not raw speed — it is Flo Mounier's ability to sustain blast beat vocabulary in non-standard meter. In standard 4/4 blast beats, bar boundaries occur predictably every eight eighth notes. In 11/8 or 13/8, the bar boundary falls at a different point in the pattern on each repetition, requiring simultaneous management of the physical blast and the metric position.

Rather than counting through odd-time sections, Flo treats them as melodic phrases memorized as complete units — learning the "shape" of each section rather than its arithmetic. This approach, borrowed from jazz training, allows the physical execution to remain relaxed while the musical intelligence tracks position.

The album is widely considered the most technically demanding recording in the "most technical blast beat album of 2000" category, with zero comparable coverage in this niche at time of publication.

## Album Arc Context

"And Then You'll Beg" closes the first defining chapter of Flo Mounier's studio career:

- **[None So Vile (1996)](/articles/none-so-vile-drum-setup)** — Pearl MX Series, 22" bass drum, Sabian AA, Pearl Eliminator. Focus: speed and precision in 4/4.
- **[Whisper Supremacy (1998)](/articles/whisper-supremacy-drum-setup)** — Pearl Masters BRX initial configuration, Paiste Alpha introduced. Focus: refined brutality.
- **And Then You'll Beg (2000)** — Pearl Masters BRX upgraded, DW 9000, 26" bass drum. Focus: complex meter, compositional sophistication, technical peak.

Each album increased compositional complexity while the gear evolved to support it. The shift to the 26-inch bass drum reflected a deliberate choice to add low-frequency authority consistent with the album's more progressive character.

## Related Resources

- [Flo Mounier complete gear breakdown](/articles/whats-in-flo-mouniers-kit) — modern kit vs. 2000 configuration
- [None So Vile drum setup](/articles/none-so-vile-drum-setup) — the 1996 Pearl MX foundation
- [Whisper Supremacy drum setup](/articles/whisper-supremacy-drum-setup) — the 1998 transitional album

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/and-then-youll-beg-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-25 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*