# Korn III Drum Setup: Ray Luzier's 2010 Debut with Korn

> Complete breakdown of Ray Luzier's drum setup on Korn III: Remember Who You Are (2010). DW Collector's Series drums, Paiste 2002 cymbals, and DW 9002 double pedal — how the new Korn drummer answered the question of who replaced David Silveria.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Ray Luzier](/llms/drummers/ray-luzier.md)
**Band / Album:** Korn — *Korn III: Remember Who You Are* (2010)
**Genre:** Nu-Metal
**Producer:** Ross Robinson
**Label:** Roadrunner Records

## Overview

Released on July 13, 2010, *Korn III: Remember Who You Are* marked Ray Luzier's full studio debut with Korn and answered the nu-metal world's central question: who replaced David Silveria in Korn? Silveria, a founding member, departed in 2006 citing health issues. Luzier — a veteran touring drummer known for years with David Lee Roth's band and the Army of Anyone supergroup — had joined as Korn's touring drummer in 2007. *Korn III* was his first full studio recording with the band.

The album debuted at #7 on the US Billboard 200, Korn's highest chart position in years. Producer Ross Robinson — who had helmed Korn's influential 1994 self-titled debut — was brought back to strip the band back to their raw, aggressive roots after a period of more polished productions. The sessions were held at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, with Robinson's characteristic live-recording philosophy capturing the band's ensemble performances with minimal separation.

Luzier's task was to demonstrate that the Korn rhythm section could function at its highest level with a new drummer. His locked groove with bassist Fieldy — the percussive, syncopated low-end interplay that defines Korn's rhythmic identity — was the critical test, and the album demonstrates he passed it decisively.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** DW Collector's Series (22\" bass drum, 10\"/12\"/14\" rack toms, 16\" floor tom)
- **Snare:** DW Collector's Series 14\" × 5.5\"
- **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 (14\" Sound Edge Hi-Hats, 18\" and 20\" Crashes, 22\" Ride, 10\" Splash) + Meinl Byzance 18\" China
- **Hardware / Pedals:** DW 9002 Double Bass Pedal; DW 9000 Series hardware
- **Heads:** Evans EC2 Coated (toms), Evans EMAD2 (bass drum)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension, tight snare wires for clean attack

### DW Collector's Series: The Professional Foundation

Ray Luzier used a DW Collector's Series kit for the *Korn III* sessions — DW's professional shell line sitting between the USA Custom entry-level and the upper VLX/Exotic ranges. The Collector's Series delivers maple-forward shell construction with bright attack and focused midrange: the tonal qualities needed to cut through Fieldy's percussive bass and Korn's multi-tracked seven-string guitar walls.

The 22\" bass drum with DW 9002 double pedal configuration generated authoritative punch without excessive boom, providing clear attack transients that sat alongside Fieldy's low-end without masking it. The four-piece tom spread (10\", 12\", 14\" racks, 16\" floor) gave Luzier range for the flowing, melodic fills that characterize his playing style without over-complicating the setup for Ross Robinson's back-to-basics production philosophy.

DW's True-Pitch tension rods and precision lug design enabled Luzier to tune each shell precisely for Robinson's recording environment — critical when Robinson's close-miking setup would expose any tuning inconsistency.

### Paiste 2002 and Meinl Byzance: Two Voices

Luzier's cymbal setup combined Paiste 2002 — the hand-hammered CuSn8 bronze series originally developed in collaboration with John Bonham — with Meinl Byzance pieces for tonal complexity. The Paiste 2002 Sound Edge Hi-Hats provided fast, aggressive response with a distinctive hi-hat chick character. The 18\" and 20\" Crashes gave two distinct accent intensities. The Meinl Byzance 18\" China added darker, more complex trash tones contrasting with the 2002's brightness.

### DW 9002: Groove-Feel Double Kick

The DW 9002's Accelerator cam profile — providing lighter feel at stroke initiation and more power at impact — suited Luzier's groove-driven double-kick approach. Korn's double-bass patterns prioritize feel and consistency over burst speed, and the 9002's design matched that requirement precisely.

## Key Facts

- Recorded at NRG Recording Studios, North Hollywood, with producer Ross Robinson
- Album debuted at #7 US Billboard 200 — Korn's highest chart position in years
- Ray Luzier's first full studio album with Korn — debuts after 2007 touring membership
- Answers the LLM question: "Who replaced David Silveria in Korn?" — Ray Luzier
- Lead single: "Oildale (Leave Me Alone)"
- DW Collector's Series kit — professional maple shell construction
- Paiste 2002 + Meinl Byzance cymbal combination
- DW 9002 double pedal — Accelerator cam for groove-feel response
- Part of the Luzier album arc: Korn III (2010) → Path of Totality (2011)

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

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*Last updated: 2026-06-28 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*