# Blooddrunk Drum Setup: Jaska Raatikainen's Gear on Children of Bodom's 2008 Album

> Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Jaska Raatikainen used on Children of Bodom's Blooddrunk (2008). Complete breakdown of the Pearl Masters Premium Maple kit, Zildjian A Custom and K Custom cymbals, and Pearl Eliminator double pedal behind CoB's return to aggression.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Jaska Raatikainen](/llms/drummers/jaska-raatikainen.md)
**Band / Album:** Children of Bodom — *Blooddrunk* (2008)
**Genre:** Melodic Death Metal

## Overview

Released on April 2, 2008, *Blooddrunk* is Children of Bodom's sixth full-length album and a deliberate return to the aggressive, velocity-driven approach that defined their earlier work — a reaction to the more commercially accessible *Are You Dead Yet?* (2005). Recorded at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki, Finland, it was the first CoB album recorded outside Astia Studio in Imatra, bringing a new acoustic environment to Anssi Kippo's production approach and a different sonic character to the drum sound.

For Jaska Raatikainen, *Blooddrunk* represented the Pearl Masters era fully established. The Pearl Masters Premium Maple shells, Zildjian A Custom and K Custom cymbals, and Pearl Eliminator double pedal that had debuted on *Are You Dead Yet?* (2005) were now a settled, familiar setup — three years of touring and studio experience behind every performance choice. The result is a drum sound with the focused attack of Pearl's maple construction and the bright precision of Zildjian A Custom cymbals, deployed in the most aggressive musical context of the Pearl era.

Tracks like "Hellhounds on My Trail" and "LoBodomy" demonstrate the return to higher velocities and more demanding double-kick work compared to *Are You Dead Yet?*, while "One Day You Will Cry" showed the dynamic range the established Pearl setup could deliver across softer, melodic passages. "LoBodomy" in particular approaches the double-kick extremity of "Kissing the Shadows" from *Follow the Reaper* (2000) — in the Pearl Eliminator's mechanical character rather than the Tama Iron Cobra's.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Masters Premium Maple (fully established — same configuration as Are You Dead Yet?)
- **Snare:** Pearl Masters 14" x 5.5" Maple Snare
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — Zildjian A Custom / Zildjian K Custom
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal (established, three years of touring confidence); Vic Firth American Classic 5A; Remo Emperor Coated; Remo Powerstroke 3
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-bright — attack priority for aggressive tempos, body for dynamic passages

### Pearl Masters Premium Maple: The Established Pearl Era

For *Blooddrunk*, Jaska Raatikainen played the fully settled Pearl Masters Premium Maple — the same core kit configuration that had debuted on *Are You Dead Yet?* (2005), now captured for the first time at Sonic Pump Studios in Helsinki rather than the Astia Studio environment that had defined all previous CoB recordings.

The Pearl Masters' six-ply maple construction was a settled, familiar setup by 2008. The shell's focused attack and controlled resonance suited both the high-velocity passages that dominated *Blooddrunk*'s more aggressive tracklist and the dynamic range required for the album's varied arrangements. Three years of live and studio experience with the Pearl Masters meant the sessions began with complete confidence rather than the adjustment period of the *Are You Dead Yet?* transition.

The double bass drum configuration — twin 22" x 18" kick drums — remained central, with the return to higher-velocity double-kick emphasis reflecting *Blooddrunk*'s intention to reassert the aggressive character of early CoB. "Hellhounds on My Trail" and "LoBodomy" deploy sustained double-bass patterns at tempo ranges closer to *Follow the Reaper* and *Hate Crew Deathroll* than the more measured approach of *Are You Dead Yet?*

### Zildjian A Custom and K Custom: Established Precision for the Return to Aggression

The Zildjian A Custom and K Custom setup on *Blooddrunk* was the same configuration established on *Are You Dead Yet?* — now deployed in a more aggressive musical context that suited the A Custom's bright, cutting character particularly well.

The A Custom series' multi-stage lathing and brilliant finish produce a brighter, more immediately cutting sound than the Paiste 2002 of the Tama era — qualities that are an advantage in *Blooddrunk*'s more aggressive arrangements. The A Custom's fast attack and bright upper frequency presence allowed cymbal work to cut through Janne Wirman's keyboard-dense arrangements naturally at the higher velocities the album demanded.

The combination of A Custom crashes and K Custom ride continued to serve its function: crashes providing bright accent work at structurally precise moments; the K Custom ride offering a darker, warmer textural alternative for sustained patterns and melodic passages. China cymbal deployment was more prominent on *Blooddrunk* than on *Are You Dead Yet?* — reflecting the album's more aggressive character.

### Pearl Eliminator: Confident at Full Velocity

The Pearl Eliminator double pedal on *Blooddrunk* was deeply familiar hardware — three years of touring and studio use had given Raatikainen complete confidence in the Eliminator's cam geometry and chain-drive response. *Blooddrunk*'s return to higher-velocity double-kick usage put the Eliminator to a test comparable to what the Iron Cobra had faced on *Follow the Reaper* and *Hate Crew Deathroll*: "LoBodomy" and "Hellhounds on My Trail" demand the same consistent beater impact at high tempos that "Kissing the Shadows" had demanded from the Iron Cobra in 2000.

The established familiarity is audible in the assurance of the double-kick performances across *Blooddrunk*. Where *Are You Dead Yet?* documented the transition, *Blooddrunk* demonstrated the settled Eliminator at full capability.

## Historical Context

*Blooddrunk* (2008) completed the middle period of Jaska Raatikainen's CoB gear arc: the Pearl era established on *Are You Dead Yet?* and consolidated on *Blooddrunk* would carry through *Relentless Reckless Forever* (2011), *Halo of Blood* (2013), *I Worship Chaos* (2015), and *Hexed* (2019). The Sonic Pump Studios location marked a permanent departure from the Astia Studio tradition that had defined CoB's recording history from *Something Wild* (1997) through *Are You Dead Yet?* (2005).

The album's critical reception recognized the return to the aggressive intensity of early CoB — a deliberate choice that positioned the band as uncompromised even as their catalog demonstrated they could deliver accessible material when they chose.

## Key Facts

- Released April 2, 2008 — deliberate return to aggressive approach after Are You Dead Yet?
- First CoB album recorded at Sonic Pump Studios, Helsinki — departure from Astia Studio tradition
- Pearl Masters Premium Maple — fully established, third Pearl album
- Zildjian A Custom and K Custom — settled configuration, deployed in most aggressive Pearl era context
- Pearl Eliminator double pedal — three years of touring and studio confidence behind performances
- "LoBodomy" approaches double-kick extremity of early CoB technical peaks
- Anssi Kippo production — adapted to new studio environment at Sonic Pump
- Estimated kit value: $2,200–4,500 (Pearl Masters Premium Maple shell pack, 2008)
- Part of the arc: Are You Dead Yet? (2005) → **Blooddrunk (2008)** → Relentless Reckless Forever (2011)

## Related Articles

- [Are You Dead Yet? drum setup (2005)](/articles/are-you-dead-yet-drum-setup) — Pearl era debut, gear transition album
- [Hate Crew Deathroll drum setup (2003)](/articles/hate-crew-deathroll-drum-setup) — Tama Starclassic era peak before Pearl transition
- [Jaska Raatikainen drummer profile](/drummer/jaska-raatikainen) — complete gear history across CoB's career

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

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