# Eonian — Dimmu Borgir Drum Setup (Daray, 2018)

> The drum setup behind Daray's second studio album with Dimmu Borgir: Pearl Reference Pure with Paiste RUDE/2002 cymbals, recorded at Fascination Street Studios for the band's first album in nearly a decade.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Daray](/llms/drummers/daray.md)
**Band / Album:** Dimmu Borgir — *Eonian* (2018)
**Genre:** Symphonic Black Metal

## Overview

*Eonian* (released May 4, 2018 through Nuclear Blast) was Dimmu Borgir's first studio album in nearly eight years, and only the second time Daray's drumming was captured on a Dimmu Borgir studio record following *Abrahadabra* (2010). Recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden between January and April 2017, the album was self-produced by Dimmu Borgir with mixing and mastering handled by Jens Bogren — one of extreme metal production's most in-demand engineers, known for his work across Opeth, Kreator, and Arch Enemy.

The long gap between records raised the stakes on every performance decision, and Daray's drum tracking had to deliver the same orchestral-scale precision that had defined the band's studio catalog since *Death Cult Armageddon* (2003). *Eonian* continued Dimmu Borgir's pattern of pairing extreme metal drumming with large-scale orchestral and choral arrangements, requiring the same tempo discipline and dynamic control that had carried Daray through *Abrahadabra* eight years earlier.

By *Eonian*, Daray's rig was a known quantity rather than a new hire's audition: the Pearl Reference Pure kit, Paiste RUDE and 2002 cymbals, and Pearl Demon Drive double pedal that had anchored his first Dimmu Borgir session in 2010 returned as the foundation for his second. This article breaks down that setup as it was applied to *Eonian*'s sessions at Fascination Street Studios, and why a decade-plus into his tenure, Daray's gear choices remained consistent even as the band's production context evolved around him.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Pearl Reference Pure (Custom Black finish)
- **Snare:** Pearl Pearl Reference 14" x 5" Brass, 14" x 5"
- **Cymbals:** Paiste
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter) — controlled attack with warm fundamental
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for fast response and upper-frequency cut against dense orchestral/choral arrangements

### Pearl Reference Pure: Consistency Across an Eight-Year Gap

Daray brought the same Pearl Reference Pure kit into *Eonian*'s sessions at Fascination Street Studios that had carried him through *Abrahadabra* eight years earlier. The multi-ply maple/birch hybrid shells gave Jens Bogren's mix the consistent, uniform resonance needed to sit alongside *Eonian*'s dense orchestral and choral arrangements without the tonal drift that lower-grade shells develop under sustained extreme-tempo striking.

The double 22" kick configuration continued to anchor Dimmu Borgir's rhythmic foundation, with the Reference Pure's response giving each kick strike consistent attack timing — essential given the album's layered production, where kick patterns needed to lock precisely against the surrounding orchestral and choral tracking at Fascination Street. That an eight-year gap between studio albums produced no change in Daray's core kit selection speaks to how thoroughly the Reference Pure had proven itself on the demanding orchestral-integration standard Dimmu Borgir's studio work requires.

### Snare: Pearl Reference Brass Under Jens Bogren's Production

Daray's brass-shell Pearl Reference snare gave *Eonian* the same bright, fast-decaying crack that has defined his sound since *Abrahadabra* — necessary once again on a record where orchestral and choral arrangements occupy much of the same frequency territory the snare needs to cut through. Under Jens Bogren's mix at Fascination Street Studios, the snare's medium-high tuning and defined attack kept every hit distinct against the album's dense production, consistent with the same acoustic requirement that has governed Daray's snare choice throughout his Dimmu Borgir tenure.

### Paiste RUDE and 2002: Unchanged Through Eight Years of Touring

By *Eonian*, Daray's Paiste RUDE and 2002 cymbal combination had been road-tested across nearly a decade of international touring behind *Abrahadabra* — durability that the RUDE series' thick construction was specifically built to deliver. That same setup returned for the *Eonian* sessions, giving the album's dynamic range the same bright, cutting projection through Jens Bogren's dense production that it had provided on Daray's studio debut.

The 15" Sound Edge Hi-Hats' open, shimmering character continued to serve *Eonian*'s more orchestrated passages, integrating with the choral and keyboard arrangements without the stiff, dry closed sound of a conventional hi-hat pairing.

## Key Facts

- Released May 4, 2018 (Nuclear Blast) — Dimmu Borgir's first studio album in nearly eight years
- Daray's second studio album with the band, following Abrahadabra (2010)
- Recorded at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro, Sweden (Jan–Apr 2017)
- Self-produced by Dimmu Borgir; mixed and mastered by Jens Bogren
- Pearl Reference Pure kit and Paiste RUDE/2002 cymbals — the same rig documented since Daray's 2010 studio debut
- Continued Dimmu Borgir's orchestral/choral integration approach established since Death Cult Armageddon (2003)
- Pearl Reference Pure — unchanged from Daray's 2010 studio debut on Abrahadabra
- Custom black finish consistent with Dimmu Borgir's theatrical live production identity
- Double 22" kick configuration for sustained patterns against dense orchestral/choral tracking
- Recorded at Fascination Street Studios, Örebro under Jens Bogren
- Estimated kit value: $3,500–6,000 (Pearl Reference Pure shell pack)
- Estimated snare value: $350–550 (Pearl Reference brass snare)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What drum kit did Daray use on Eonian?**

A: Daray played the same Pearl Reference Pure kit in custom black finish on Eonian (2018) that he used on Abrahadabra (2010) — his prior Dimmu Borgir studio album. The double 22" kick configuration and multi-ply maple/birch shells gave Jens Bogren's production the consistent response needed against the album's dense orchestral and choral arrangements at Fascination Street Studios. For his complete gear breakdown, see the [Daray drum setup guide](/articles/daray-drum-setup).

**Q: Was Eonian Daray's second studio album with Dimmu Borgir?**

A: Yes. Daray joined Dimmu Borgir in 2008, recorded Abrahadabra (2010) as his first studio album with the band, and then Eonian (2018) as his second — an eight-year gap during which Dimmu Borgir toured extensively without releasing new studio material.

**Q: Where was Eonian recorded?**

A: Eonian was recorded at Fascination Street Studios in Örebro, Sweden between January and April 2017, and released May 4, 2018 through Nuclear Blast. The band self-produced the album, with Jens Bogren handling mixing and mastering.

**Q: What cymbals does Daray play on Eonian?**

A: Daray's Eonian cymbal setup is the same Paiste RUDE and 2002 combination he has used throughout his Dimmu Borgir tenure: 15" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 16" RUDE and 18" 2002 crashes, a 22" RUDE Power Ride, and a 2002 China — road-tested across nearly a decade of touring between Abrahadabra and Eonian.

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

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*Last updated: 2026-07-09 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*