# Blessed Are the Sick Drum Setup: Pete Sandoval's Egyptian Death Metal Evolution

> Complete drum gear breakdown for Morbid Angel's Blessed Are the Sick. Discover Pete Sandoval's 1991 transitional kit, Egyptian-influenced rhythms, and the double bass evolution that bridged Altars of Madness and Covenant.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Pete Sandoval](/llms/drummers/pete-sandoval.md)
**Band / Album:** Morbid Angel — *Blessed Are the Sick* (1991)
**Genre:** Death Metal

## Overview

When Morbid Angel released "Blessed Are the Sick" on May 21, 1991, they did something nobody expected: they slowed down and got stranger. After the relentless fury of "Altars of Madness," Trey Azagthoth and company pulled back the tempo ceiling and let Egyptian musical scales, Middle Eastern modes, and ritualistic atmosphere breathe through the death metal framework.

For Pete Sandoval, this was the pivotal album. Not the fastest. Not the most celebrated. But the record where his double bass mastery moved from raw aggression toward architectural precision — the transition that made "Covenant" (1993) possible.

Recorded again at Morrisound Recording with producer Tom Morris and engineer Scott Burns, "Blessed Are the Sick" found Pete pushing his gear configuration further toward the full double-kick dominance that would define his legend. The Tama kit expanded, the Paiste cymbal selection deepened, and the playing found a new groove-to-blast ratio that matched the album's denser compositional ambitions.

David Vincent's lyrical partnership with Trey Azagthoth reached its lyrical peak here — the "Ancient Ones" mythology, the Egyptian mysticism, the slow-building ceremonial tracks like "Doomsday Celebrations" demanded drumming that could conjure atmosphere as effectively as it could destroy. Pete delivered both.

This article breaks down the gear Pete Sandoval used on "Blessed Are the Sick," explores the techniques that made it the critical bridge between Morbid Angel's debut and their commercial peak, and examines why this transitional album holds a unique place in death metal history.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Tama Superstar (expanded configuration) (Black finish)
- **Snare:** Tama Tama Superstar Steel Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Paiste — Paiste 2002 / RUDE Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra (early version) / Camco-style Chain Drive; Tama Titan; Tama 1st Chair; Pro-Mark 5B Wood Tip
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension — slightly looser than Altars of Madness for dynamic range

### Pete's 1991 Setup: The Transitional Arsenal

For "Blessed Are the Sick," Pete Sandoval retained the core Tama Superstar platform from "Altars of Madness" while expanding the configuration to handle the album's wider dynamic range. The addition of a third rack tom gave Pete more tonal variety for the slower, atmosphere-driven passages that Trey Azagthoth's Egyptian-influenced compositions demanded.

The dual 22" x 16" bass drums remained the foundation, but Pete's approach shifted. Where "Altars of Madness" relied on constant double-bass velocity, "Blessed Are the Sick" asked for more nuanced deployment — sustained rolls punctuating grooves, controlled single-kick patterns underpinning slower ritualistic tracks, and explosive bursts reserved for peak moments like "Fall from Grace" and "Brainstorm."

This transitional period is the most interesting in Pete's development. The gear remained largely the same; the evolution was in how he used it. More dynamic range. More rhythmic vocabulary. More willingness to let a groove breathe before detonating it.

The birch shells continued to provide the punchy, focused attack that Morrisound's close-miking technique demanded. Scott Burns had refined his approach from "Altars" — the drum sound on "Blessed Are the Sick" has slightly more room character while retaining the dry, direct impact of its predecessor.

### Refined Crack: The 1991 Snare Voice

Pete maintained his Tama steel snare from the Altars era, but the tuning approach evolved to match the album's wider dynamic palette. On "Altars of Madness," the snare was cranked for maximum cut during relentless blast beats. On "Blessed Are the Sick," Pete pulled the tension back slightly on slower tracks, giving the snare a fatter crack that suited mid-tempo grooves.

The 14" x 6.5" dimensions remained ideal — deep enough for body on the slower ceremonial passages, bright enough to cut through the blast sections. On "Doomsday Celebrations" and "The Ancient Ones," the snare's tone becomes almost ritualistic, a measured crack marking time against Trey's Arabic-influenced riffs.

Scott Burns maintained his close-mic philosophy (Shure SM57, tight to the head) but the final drum mix reflects slightly more body in the low-mids compared to Altars. This gives "Blessed Are the Sick" a heavier, more ominous weight — befitting an album that was deliberately slower and darker than its predecessor.

### Paiste Through the Egyptian Lens

"Blessed Are the Sick" pushed Pete's cymbal use in new directions. The Paiste 2002 setup from "Altars of Madness" expanded with the addition of a RUDE Crash/Ride, giving him a more aggressive mid-range option for tracks that demanded controlled chaos rather than pure blast.

The hi-hats took on greater compositional importance in 1991. Where "Altars" demanded hi-hats that could survive constant blast beat punishment, the slower passages of "Blessed Are the Sick" required Pete to actually play patterns — melodic hi-hat work that sat over churning bass drum grooves and Trey's Egyptian-scale riffs. The 2002 Sound Edge's articulation proved ideal for both demands.

The China cymbal became central to Pete's accent vocabulary on this album. The slower tempos gave him room to deploy it more deliberately — a punctuation mark rather than a rapid-fire spray. On tracks like "Fall from Grace" and "Brainstorm," China accents frame Trey's most angular riff transitions with precision that the faster Altars tempos didn't allow.

The ride cymbal, used sparingly on "Altars of Madness," gained prominence on "Blessed Are the Sick." The album's atmospheric passages and mid-tempo grooves demanded sustained texture, and the 2002 20" Medium Ride provided the sustained shimmer that slower sections required without washing out like a crash.

## Key Facts

- Second Morbid Angel album — bridges Altars of Madness (1989) and Covenant (1993)
- Egyptian and Middle Eastern musical influences created new rhythmic demands
- Pete Sandoval expanded toward full double-kick configuration
- Recorded at Morrisound with Scott Burns — same team as Altars of Madness
- David Vincent lyrics + Trey Azagthoth riffs created unprecedented atmosphere
- Slow-burning ritualistic tracks contrasted with peak-velocity blast sections
- Expanded to three rack toms for increased melodic vocabulary
- Dual bass drums increasingly configured for independent use
- Same Tama Superstar birch construction as Altars of Madness
- Transitional period toward full double-kick mastery
- This era immediately precedes Pete's move toward Pearl endorsement
- Estimated kit value: $1,800-2,800 (1991) / $3,500-5,500 (vintage today)
- Estimated snare value: $200-300 (1991)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/blessed-are-the-sick-drum-setup

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