# Lars Ulrich's Drum Setup on Metallica's Death Magnetic (2008)

> Lars Ulrich's return to thrash — how Rick Rubin and a Tama Starclassic Birch kit helped Metallica recapture the aggression of their classic era. Full gear breakdown including the loudness war controversy.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Lars Ulrich](/llms/drummers/lars-ulrich.md)
**Band / Album:** Metallica — *Death Magnetic* (2008)
**Genre:** Thrash Metal / Heavy Metal

## Overview

Released on September 12, 2008, "Death Magnetic" was Metallica's ninth studio album and their most deliberate attempt to recapture the aggressive thrash sound of their 1980s peak. After the polarizing "St. Anger" (2003) — infamous for its unsnared snare and raw, stripped-down production — Death Magnetic arrived as a course correction. Producer Rick Rubin pushed the band back toward the long songs, complex arrangements, and full-throttle playing that defined albums like "Master of Puppets" and "...And Justice for All."

For Lars Ulrich, Death Magnetic meant returning to his roots as a thrash drummer. Gone was the St. Anger snare — Lars re-embraced his Tama Starclassic Birch kit and Zildjian A Custom cymbals for a sound that felt both familiar and fresh. The result was the most direct, aggressive drum sound on a Metallica album since the early 1990s.

The album is equally famous — or infamous — for its place in the Loudness War. Death Magnetic was mastered so hot that it clipped extensively on the CD and iTunes releases, producing audible distortion. Notably, the Guitar Hero III version of the album (sourced from game audio stems before final mastering) sounds dramatically different — more dynamic, with intact transients. The controversy generated significant audiophile and music production discussion, and "death magnetic clipping" and "death magnetic GH vs CD" remain highly-searched terms years after release.

This article covers the gear Lars used to make Death Magnetic, the Rick Rubin recording philosophy, and how this album fits in the broader Lars Ulrich story.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Tama Starclassic Birch (Mirage White Pearl finish)
- **Snare:** Tama Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — Zildjian A Custom
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Double Pedal; Tama Roadpro Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Original; Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature Sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for attack and clarity

### Lars's Studio Kit: Tama Starclassic Birch

For Death Magnetic, Lars Ulrich used his Tama Starclassic Birch kit — a step up from the Artstar II birch shells of the Justice era and distinct from the Artist Maple kit used on the Black Album. The Starclassic Birch offered the tight, punchy attack that birch shells are known for, giving the album its aggressive, forward-pushing drum character.

The Starclassic line represented Tama's professional-tier offering at the time, featuring thinner shells than earlier Tama pro kits, Tama's proprietary StarCast mounting system (which allows the shells to vibrate freely), and superior hardware precision. These refinements translated directly to the recording: shells that resonated fully, toms that decayed cleanly, and a kick drum with sharp transient attack ideal for Rick Rubin's punchy production.

Lars ran a single 22" bass drum with an Iron Cobra double pedal — a configuration he had settled into since the Justice era. The double-bass work throughout Death Magnetic is among his most sustained since the late '80s, with tracks like "That Was Just Your Life" and "Broken, Beat & Scarred" featuring extended galloping patterns that recall his classic-era playing.

The birch shell's inherently brighter, more focused character versus maple directly served Rick Rubin's production philosophy: punch first, warmth second. Where the Black Album's maple shells produced wide, warm tones suited to Bob Rock's room-heavy approach, the Starclassic Birch snapped and attacked, cutting through even the most compressed final master.

### The LU1465: Lars's Signature Returns

The snare drum on Death Magnetic is a stark contrast to the St. Anger recording — where St. Anger featured a snare with the wires disengaged, producing that distinctive metallic ring, Death Magnetic brought Lars back to the Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature snare he had used across his Tama career.

The LU1465 is a 14" x 6.5" steel-shell snare with die-cast hoops. The steel construction delivers a bright, cutting attack with a focused crack — exactly what the aggressive thrash passages on Death Magnetic demanded. Die-cast hoops contribute to tuning stability and add a subtle brightness boost compared to stamped hoops.

Rick Rubin's approach to the snare was to capture a natural, direct sound — close-miked with a Shure SM57 and a secondary mic under the shell to capture snare wire response. The result was a snare that cracked hard on backbeats and cut through James Hetfield's detuned rhythm guitars without disappearing into the mix. The LU1465 tuned medium-high provided the right balance of attack and body for the album's aggressive character.

The LU1465 had been Lars's go-to snare for years before St. Anger's deliberate deviation. Returning to it for Death Magnetic was itself a statement — a sonic signifier that Metallica was back on familiar ground.

### The Zildjian A Custom Arsenal

Lars's cymbal setup for Death Magnetic centered on the Zildjian A Custom series — the "modern" successor to the A Series cymbals he had used from the Master of Puppets era through the late 1990s. The A Custom features a brilliant finish and a different alloy treatment than the traditional A, producing a brighter, more focused sound with faster response.

The 14" A Custom hi-hats were a natural fit for the album's demanding 16th-note patterns. Their tight, cutting character kept Lars's hi-hat work audible even in the most compressed sections of the final master — no small feat given how aggressively Death Magnetic was mastered.

The crash configuration (16" and 18") mirrored the setups Lars had used since the Justice era: a smaller, faster crash for quick accents and a larger crash for section endings. The A Custom's brilliant finish gave both cymbals extra projection and a slightly more aggressive attack than the traditional A Series crashes.

The 20" A Custom Ride provided clear bell definition for the riding passages throughout tracks like "The Unforgiven III" and "Cyanide," while the 18" China supplied the explosive, trashy accents that punctuated riff endings — a Metallica signature going back to Master of Puppets.

## Key Facts

- Deliberate return to thrash after St. Anger controversy
- Rick Rubin replaced Bob Rock as producer for the first time since 1988
- Tama Starclassic Birch kit — more attack and punch than the maple-shell Black Album setup
- Zildjian A Custom cymbals replaced the older A Series from earlier albums
- Death Magnetic became one of the most debated albums in the Loudness War
- Starclassic Birch chosen for its attack-forward tonal character
- StarCast mounting system allows full shell resonance
- Single kick with Iron Cobra double pedal — Lars's standard since Justice
- More aggressive tone profile than the Black Album's maple shells
- This kit marked the beginning of Lars's Starclassic era
- Estimated kit value: $3,500-4,500 (2008) / $2,500-4,000 (used today)
- Estimated snare value: $250-350 (2008) / $300-450 (today)

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

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