# Ben Koller's Drum Setup on Converge's Axe to Fall (2009)

> Inside Ben Koller's drum setup for Converge's Axe to Fall (2009) — the all-star collaboration record with members of Mastodon, Cave In, and Genghis Tron. Tama drums, Sabian cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra pedals, Vater signature sticks, and a more progressive arrangement palette than Jane Doe.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Ben Koller](/llms/drummers/ben-koller.md)
**Band / Album:** Converge — *Axe to Fall* (2009)
**Genre:** Mathcore / Metalcore

## Overview

Released on October 20, 2009 on Epitaph Records, Converge's Axe to Fall stands as one of the most ambitious and collaborative records in the band's catalog. Where 2001's Jane Doe established a vocabulary of mathcore chaos, Axe to Fall expanded that vocabulary outward — incorporating guest performances from members of Mastodon, Cave In, Genghis Tron, Disfear, Neurosis, and more into a more progressive, dynamically varied set of arrangements.

Tracked at Kurt Ballou's GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts and mixed by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Botch), Axe to Fall captures Ben Koller in peak form. By 2009 Koller had been Converge's drummer for a decade, and the playing on tracks like "Dark Horse," "Reap What You Sow," "Effigy," and the title track shows a drummer who has fully integrated the blast-and-breakdown vocabulary of Jane Doe with a wider rhythmic and dynamic palette.

The Axe to Fall guest list is unprecedented for a hardcore record. Brann Dailor (Mastodon) sings on "Worms Will Feed / Rats Will Feast." Members of Cave In, Genghis Tron, Neurosis, and Disfear contribute throughout. Koller's job on these tracks isn't just to deliver Converge intensity — it's to make room for the textures these collaborators bring, then drive the band back into full-throttle hardcore when the song demands it.

Ben Koller's Axe to Fall drum setup remained centered on Tama drums, Sabian cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra pedals, and Vater signature sticks — the same core rig as Jane Doe, refined over eight more years of touring.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga / Star Series (Piano Black finish) — single 22" x 16" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, 14" and 16" floor toms
- **Snare:** Tama Bell Brass / Starphonic Brass, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX / AAX — 14" HHX Groove Hats, 18" AAX Stage Crash, 19" AAX X-Plosion Crash, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride, 18" AAX Chinese, 10" AAX Splash
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra single pedal, Tama Iron Cobra Lever Glide hi-hat stand, Tama 1st Chair Round Rider throne, Vater Ben Koller signature sticks
- **Heads:** Evans G2 Coated tom batters; Evans G1 Coated snare batter; Evans EMAD bass batter
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for cut through guitar mix

### Koller's Axe to Fall Kit: Refined Tama Setup

By 2009 Ben Koller's Tama setup had reached a refined form. The Axe to Fall sessions used a Tama Starclassic-era kit with bubinga shells — the same shell formula that anchored Jane Doe, now eight years more refined in tuning and personal preference.

Koller remained a committed single-kick player. The 22" x 16" bass drum (a slightly shallower depth than the 18" used on Jane Doe) delivered a faster, more articulate attack — better suited to the more progressive rhythmic figures that appear throughout Axe to Fall. On tracks like "Dark Horse" and "Reap What You Sow," the kick has to articulate rapid syncopated figures without smearing, and the shallower depth helps.

The tom configuration stayed compact and consistent: 10" and 12" rack toms over 14" and 16" floor toms. This four-tom layout is Koller's signature configuration — small enough to be physically manageable in his violent live performances, large enough to deliver the melodic fill vocabulary that defines his playing.

### The Snare Cut Through the Mix

Ben Koller's Axe to Fall snare followed the same approach as Jane Doe: a brass-shell 14" x 6.5" Tama snare, tuned bright for cut through Converge's dense guitar mix. Brass produces a brighter attack than steel or wood, with strong fundamental and fast decay — the right voice for a drummer whose primary backbeat stroke is a rimshot.

Matt Bayles, mixing the record, has a long history with bands that need drums to register through dense, heavy arrangements — Mastodon, Isis, Botch. His approach on Axe to Fall pulls the snare slightly forward in the mix without losing the dry, immediate character of Kurt Ballou's tracking.

### The Sabian Arsenal — Refined for Axe to Fall

Ben Koller's Axe to Fall cymbal setup remained anchored in Sabian's HHX and AAX series — the same combination that defined the Jane Doe sound, with subtle additions for the more progressive arrangements on the new record.

The crash voicings expanded slightly. The 18" AAX Stage Crash handled the album's bright, fast accents; a 19" AAX X-Plosion Crash provided an even faster attack for the more rapid-fire crash work in the more progressive songs.

A 10" AAX Splash joined the setup for quick textural accents on the more rhythmically intricate songs, where a fast effect cymbal helps punctuate syncopated figures without committing to a full crash.

### Production Team: Ballou + Bayles

Axe to Fall was tracked by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts and mixed by Matt Bayles at his Red Room Recording in Seattle. The two-stage production gave the album its distinctive character — Ballou's immediate, close-miked tracking captured the band's live energy, while Bayles' mix sat the drums tight against the dense guitar layers and accommodated the wide range of guest contributions.

## Key Facts

- Released October 20, 2009 on Epitaph Records
- Produced by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio
- Mixed by Matt Bayles (Mastodon, Isis, Botch) at Red Room Recording
- Features guests from Mastodon, Cave In, Genghis Tron, Neurosis, Disfear
- Single 22" x 16" bass drum — no double pedal
- Bubinga shells — same formula as Jane Doe, refined
- Brass-shell snare tuned medium-high for cut
- Sabian HHX/AAX cymbal pairing, expanded with splash and X-Plosion crash
- Tama Iron Cobra single pedal
- Vater Ben Koller signature sticks
- Estimated kit value: $3,000-4,000 (2009)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/axe-to-fall-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-26 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*