# The Black Album Drum Setup: Lars Ulrich's 1991 Tama Artist Maple Kit

> Complete gear breakdown for Metallica's self-titled Black Album (1991). Discover Lars Ulrich's Tama Artist Maple kit, the Bob Rock production techniques, and the gear behind 'Enter Sandman', 'Sad But True', and 'Nothing Else Matters'.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Lars Ulrich](/llms/drummers/lars-ulrich.md)
**Band / Album:** Metallica — *Metallica (The Black Album)* (1991)
**Genre:** Heavy Metal / Hard Rock

## Overview

Released on August 12, 1991, Metallica's self-titled fifth album — universally known as "The Black Album" — is the best-selling metal album of all time, with approximately 31 million copies sold worldwide. It marked a seismic shift in how the band wrote, recorded, and thought about drumming.

After the relentless technicality of "...And Justice for All," producer Bob Rock pushed Lars Ulrich away from complexity and toward feel. The result was a rhythmic overhaul: slower tempos, deeper tuning, and a cavernous room sound engineered to make every snare crack sound like a thunderclap. The boomy, reverb-soaked kick drum on "Sad But True" and the loping groove of "Enter Sandman" are some of the most recognizable drum sounds in rock history.

Lars recorded the album on a Tama Artist Maple kit — a distinct model from the Artstar II birch shells used on Justice and from today's Star Classic. The maple shells delivered a warmer, more resonant tone suited to the album's lower tunings and Bob Rock's room mic-heavy approach.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Artist Maple (Black finish with chrome hardware)
- **Snare:** Tama Lars Ulrich prototype (precursor to LU1465), 14" x 6.5", tuned much lower than thrash era
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — A Series (Musical Ride replacing Justice's Z-series)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra Double Pedal (early production); Tama Titan Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Original; Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature prototype
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated (snare batter), Remo Ambassador Clear (toms), Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear with pillow muffling (kick)
- **Snare tuning:** Low-to-medium tension — significantly looser than Justice era, per Bob Rock's direction

### Lars's Studio Kit: Tama Artist Maple

For The Black Album, Lars switched from the birch-shelled Tama Artstar II to the Tama Artist Maple series. The maple construction was deliberate: maple shells are warmer, more resonant, and sustain longer than birch — ideal for the lower tunings Bob Rock demanded.

The 22" bass drum is deeper than on previous albums (18" vs. 16"), contributing to the signature low-end boom. Bob Rock placed a large pillow inside the kick combined with inside and outside microphones to create the punchy yet warm sound that opens "Enter Sandman."

The tom configuration — 10" and 12" rack toms plus 14" and 16" floor toms — remained similar to Justice but tuned considerably lower. Where Justice toms were tuned for attack and clarity, the Black Album toms were tuned for depth and resonance.

Lars also reduced the number of fills on many tracks, prioritizing groove over flashy runs. This restraint, guided by Bob Rock, became one of the defining characteristics of the record.

### The Prototype That Became a Signature

The snare drum sound on The Black Album is one of the most debated in metal — a low, fat crack that sounds nothing like the tight, high-tension snare Lars used on Justice. The instrument responsible was a Tama prototype that would later evolve into the production LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature snare.

Bob Rock worked extensively with Lars on tuning, pushing him to loosen the batter head far below his comfort zone. Where Justice's snare cracked like a gunshot at high tension, the Black Album snare boomed with a wallop more reminiscent of John Bonham than traditional thrash metal.

The steel shell retained brightness and cut, preventing the low tuning from turning muddy. The combination of loose batter head and Remo Powerstroke batter head created the distinctive thwack heard on "Sad But True," "Wherever I May Roam," and "Enter Sandman."

### Zildjian A Series — Refined for Groove

Lars's cymbal selection refined the Justice setup. Most notably, he dropped the heavy Zildjian Z series ride in favor of a more musical A series Medium Ride — mirroring the overall shift from aggression to groove.

The 14" New Beat hi-hats remained a constant. The crash selection grew slightly with a 19" added alongside 16" and 18" models, giving Lars a wider dynamic range. Bob Rock's wider overhead microphone placement captured the full spread of the array, contributing to the spacious feel of "The Unforgiven" and "Nothing Else Matters."

### Iron Cobra Makes Its Mark

The Black Album sessions coincided with Lars's early adoption of the Tama Iron Cobra double pedal — now one of metal's most popular pedals. The Iron Cobra's cam-driven mechanism provided a smooth, consistent feel at the lower tempos Bob Rock preferred, a departure from the Camco-design HP35 used on Justice.

## Bob Rock's Room and the Black Album Sound

The recording approach was radically different from anything Metallica had done before. Bob Rock placed room microphones 15-20 feet from the kit, blending them prominently with close mics — the opposite of Justice's dry, minimal-room approach. Gated reverb on the snare (the same technique used on John Bonham's "When the Levee Breaks") allowed a brief reverb bloom after each hit before snapping shut, creating the massive, "bigger than the room" snare sound.

Key techniques:
- Room mics at 15-20 feet, blended prominently
- Gated reverb on snare
- Sub-kick microphone for low-end enhancement
- Wide overhead placement
- Lower drum tuning throughout — every drum tuned down at Bob Rock's direction
- Extended recording sessions (14 months) focused on feel over technicality

## Key Facts

- Best-selling metal album of all time (~31 million copies sold)
- Bob Rock production demanded groove over technical complexity
- Tama Artist Maple kit — distinct from both Justice-era Artstar II and modern Star Classic
- Prototype snare later became the LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature
- Early Tama Iron Cobra double pedal adoption
- Room mics and gated reverb created the cavernous Black Album drum sound
- Lower tuning throughout compared to all previous Metallica albums
- Recorded over 14 months at One on One Recording Studios, Los Angeles
- Estimated kit value: $3,000-4,500 (1991) / $5,000-8,000 (vintage today)
- Estimated snare value: $400-600 (1991) / $800-1,200 (prototype vintage today)

## FAQ

**What drums does Lars Ulrich use on Enter Sandman?**
Lars recorded "Enter Sandman" on a Tama Artist Maple kit — distinct from both the birch Artstar II used on Justice and the modern Star Classic. The bass drum is a deep 22"x18", contributing to the signature boom. The snare is a Tama prototype (later the LU1465) tuned lower than any previous Metallica album. Producer Bob Rock's room microphones, placed 15-20 feet from the kit, capture the cavernous ambience. Cymbals are Zildjian A series, including 14" New Beat hi-hats and A medium crashes.

**How is the Black Album drum sound achieved?**
Three key elements: (1) lower drum tuning than Lars's thrash era — every drum tuned down significantly at Bob Rock's direction; (2) prominent room microphones placed 15-20 feet from the kit, blended with close mics to create cavernous ambience; (3) gated reverb on the snare, which allows a brief reverb bloom after each hit before snapping shut. Maple shells (warmer than birch) and a deep bass drum reinforce the low-end weight. Replicating this sound requires low tuning, room mics, and gated snare reverb.

**What snare did Lars Ulrich use in 1991 on the Black Album?**
Lars used a Tama prototype snare — a steel-shell 14"x6.5" drum that preceded the production LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature snare. It was tuned considerably lower than the tight Justice-era snare. Bob Rock pushed Lars to loosen the batter head to create the fat, boomy crack heard on "Sad But True." A Remo Powerstroke 3 Coated batter head was used. The prototype's DNA lives on in the LU1465, which remains available today.

**How is the Black Album kit different from Master of Puppets or Justice?**
Each album used a distinct kit. Master of Puppets (1986): Camco Oaklawn Badge maple, Ludwig Supraphonic snare, high tuning. ...And Justice for All (1988): Tama Artstar II birch, high-tension steel snare, dry production. The Black Album (1991): Tama Artist Maple (warmer than birch), prototype LU1465 snare tuned much lower, Bob Rock's room mics and gated reverb, groove-focused production. Gear, tuning, and production philosophy changed significantly each time.

**Did Lars Ulrich use double bass on The Black Album?**
Yes, but sparingly. Lars used a Tama Iron Cobra double pedal on a single 22" bass drum. Double bass is most prominent on "Wherever I May Roam" and sections of "Enter Sandman" and "The God That Failed." However, Bob Rock steered Lars toward single bass drum patterns on most tracks — groove-first philosophy favored simplicity and feel over constant double bass runs.

## Related Articles

- [Master of Puppets Drum Setup](/llms/articles/master-of-puppets-drum-setup.md) — Lars's 1986 Camco thrash-era setup
- [And Justice for All Drum Setup](/llms/articles/and-justice-for-all-drum-setup.md) — Lars's 1988 Tama Artstar II transition
- [What's in Lars Ulrich's Kit](/llms/articles/whats-in-lars-ulrichs-kit.md) — Lars's modern gear breakdown

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/black-album-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-20 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*