# Faceless Drum Setup: Shannon Larkin's Gear on Godsmack's #1 Billboard Album (2003)

> Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Shannon Larkin used on Godsmack's Faceless (2003) — the #1 Billboard 200 debut, 4× Platinum album. Tama Starclassic Maple kit, Sabian cymbals, and the hard rock powerhouse that defined an era.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Shannon Larkin](/llms/drummers/shannon-larkin.md)
**Band / Album:** Godsmack — *Faceless* (2003)
**Genre:** Hard Rock / Heavy Metal

## Overview

Released on April 8, 2003, *Faceless* is the commercial and artistic summit of Godsmack's career — a hard rock album that debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 in its first week and eventually certified 4× Platinum in the United States. At the center of that achievement was Shannon Larkin, recording his first full studio album with Godsmack less than a year after joining the band.

Larkin had replaced founding drummer Tommy Stewart in 2002, bringing with him a resume that included thrash metal work with Wrathchild America and the mainstream crossover success of Ugly Kid Joe's "Everything About You" (1992). When Godsmack entered the studio for *Faceless*, Larkin arrived with his Tama Starclassic Maple kit and Sabian cymbal setup — the gear he had refined through years of professional touring — and proceeded to record the most commercially significant hard rock drum performance of the decade's first half.

The album's lead single, "I Stand Alone" — written for the 2004 film *The Chronicles of Riddick* — became one of the most-played rock songs of the 2000s on American radio, driven by Larkin's relentless, pounding groove. "Straight Out of Line" demonstrated a heavier, more aggressive approach. "Changes" showcased his dynamic range. Together, these tracks established Larkin as one of hard rock's most powerful drummers almost immediately upon joining one of its biggest bands.

This article examines the Tama Starclassic Maple kit, Sabian cymbal setup, and hardware that powered Larkin's *Faceless* studio performance — the gear behind Godsmack's commercial peak and Shannon Larkin's arrival as a hard rock force.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Tama Starclassic Maple (Custom touring finish finish)
- **Snare:** Tama Tama Starclassic Steel Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Sabian — Sabian AAX Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9000 Series Double Bass Pedal; Vater Hickory 5B; DW 9000 Hi-Hat Stand; Remo Emperor Coated; Remo Powerstroke 3
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high for cut and projection through Godsmack's dense guitar mix

### Tama Starclassic Maple: The Kit That Topped the Billboard 200

Shannon Larkin's early Godsmack era was defined by his Tama Starclassic Maple kit — one of the most respected professional drum kits available in the early 2000s and a natural choice for a drummer who had built his career on road-tested professional gear. The Starclassic Maple's all-maple shell construction delivers a warm, full-bodied tone with a focused attack: characteristics that translate exceptionally well both in studio environments and on the arena stages Godsmack was beginning to headline.

The double 22" kick configuration was central to Larkin's approach on *Faceless*. Godsmack's music — particularly the groove-driven hard rock that defined their commercial identity — relies on a bass drum that speaks with authority in the low register without muddying the rhythm. The 22" Starclassic kicks delivered exactly that: punchy, defined, and locked with bassist Robbie Merrill's low-end foundation throughout the album's 13 tracks.

Tama's Starclassic Maple shells were prized in the early 2000s professional touring community for their even sustain, warm fundamental, and durability. The maple construction's natural tonal character sits beautifully in hard rock mixes — dense enough to feel powerful but open enough to breathe within arrangements that required dynamic range, as *Faceless* tracks like "Changes" and "Serenity" demonstrated.

The streamlined four-tom setup — two rack toms (10", 12") and two floor toms (14", 16") — gave Larkin the range for creative fills without overcomplicating his configuration. Godsmack's music demands power and momentum above technical complexity, and Larkin's Tama setup was calibrated precisely for those priorities.

On *Faceless*, the Starclassic Maple's tone is heard at its most natural: close-miked for attack definition, the shell's maple warmth providing the body that distinguishes genuine hard rock drum production from the processed, triggered sounds that had become common in heavy rock by 2003. The kit sounded like drums — powerful, physical, and room-filling.

### Steel Snare Authority: The Crack Behind the Billboard #1

Shannon Larkin's snare voice on *Faceless* is one of the most immediately identifiable elements of the album's drum sound: a cutting, authoritative crack that drives through Godsmack's wall-of-guitar production with complete clarity. The 14" x 6.5" steel snare produced a high-frequency attack and projection that defined Godsmack's hard rock backbeat across every track on the album.

Steel shell construction delivers the bright, cutting attack that hard rock production demands at this level. In Godsmack's sonic context — heavy guitar tones tuned down, Robbie Merrill's prominent bass, and Sully Erna's powerful vocal delivery — the snare needed to establish its own sonic territory with authority. A steel shell's bright upper-midrange character claims that space naturally, without requiring excessive eq or processing.

The 6.5" depth provided the body and sustain that separates a powerful snare sound from a thin one. Each backbeat on *Faceless* — whether on the driving eighth-note groove of "I Stand Alone" or the more explosive accent patterns of "Greed" — arrives with a full, three-dimensional character that shallow snares cannot replicate.

Larkin tuned the snare at medium-high tension, prioritizing the cut and definition his playing style requires. The attack is immediate and unambiguous — a technique choice as much as a tuning choice, ensuring the backbeat communicates the track's groove without any ambiguity. This approach is particularly evident on "Straight Out of Line," where the snare's authority is what makes the groove feel genuinely heavy.

### Sabian AAX: Bright and Explosive for Hard Rock's Biggest Stage

Shannon Larkin's Sabian AAX setup on *Faceless* was chosen for its aggressive, bright character — a cymbal voice that cuts through dense hard rock production without disappearing into the guitar wall. The AAX series, machine-hammered from brilliant brass, delivers a fast-speaking, high-frequency profile ideally suited to Godsmack's sonic environment.

The 14" AAX Stage Hi-Hats are the rhythmic engine of Larkin's playing throughout *Faceless*. Driving eighth-note patterns on "I Stand Alone," the relentless pulse of "Straight Out of Line," and the more nuanced quarter-note work on "Changes" all share the same bright, assertive hi-hat voice that anchors Godsmack's grooves. The AAX's machine-hammered construction ensures consistency across playing dynamics — from soft verse passages to full-force chorus hits — and the Stage Hi-Hat's heavier bottom cymbal provides stability under aggressive foot and stick work.

His crash configuration — 18" and 19" AAX X-Plosion Crashes — provides two distinct accent voices suited to *Faceless*'s dynamic range. The 18" speaks fast and precisely for transitional fills; the 19" delivers a larger, more resonant crash for the album's biggest moments. The X-Plosion series' wider bow and fast-lathing make both cymbals respond immediately even at moderate volume, essential in a studio environment where every crash must be intentional.

The 21" AAX Stage Ride provides a bright, projecting time-keeping surface with a clear bell — appropriate for the passages in *Faceless* where Larkin needed a defined, cutting ride voice rather than a wash. The 18" AAX Chinese rounds out the setup with its upward-projecting trash accent, heard to maximum effect on the album's heavier sections.

This Sabian AAX configuration evolved over Larkin's Godsmack career into the dual AAX/HHX setup documented in later years, but on *Faceless* — his debut Godsmack album — the pure AAX setup delivered exactly the bright, explosive cymbal voice the recording required.

## Key Facts

- Shannon Larkin's first full studio album with Godsmack — joined the band in 2002
- Faceless debuted #1 on Billboard 200 (April 2003) and certified 4× Platinum in the US
- "I Stand Alone" became one of the most-played rock songs of the 2000s
- Tama Starclassic Maple kit — Shannon's touring setup in his early Godsmack years
- Sabian cymbals: AAX series hi-hats, crashes, and ride
- Replaced founding drummer Tommy Stewart; brought veteran gear from Wrathchild America / Ugly Kid Joe era
- Tama Starclassic Maple — Shannon's professional standard in his early Godsmack years
- Double 22" bass drums: focused low-end punch suited to hard rock arena environments
- Four-tom spread (10", 12", 14", 16") for dynamic fills across Faceless arrangements
- Maple shells: warm fundamental and natural sustain — authentic hard rock drum tone
- Later transitioned to Ddrum Reflex endorsement; Tama was his Faceless-era standard
- Estimated kit value: $2,000–4,000 (Tama Starclassic Maple shell pack, 2003)
- Estimated snare value: $200–400 (steel snare, 2003 era)

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

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