# Obsolete Drum Setup: Raymond Herrera's 1998 Fear Factory Kit Breakdown

> Complete breakdown of Raymond Herrera's drum gear on Fear Factory's Obsolete (1998). Pearl Reference Series triggered kit, Zildjian Z Custom cymbals, Pearl Eliminator pedals, and how 'Edgecrusher' and 'Resurrection' were recorded.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Raymond Herrera](/llms/drummers/raymond-herrera.md)
**Band / Album:** Fear Factory — *Obsolete* (1998)
**Genre:** Industrial Metal / Alternative Metal

## Overview

Released on August 25, 1998, Fear Factory's *Obsolete* is the band's commercial apex — the album that pushed their industrial metal sound to its widest audience, achieved Platinum certification in the United States, and delivered two of the most recognizable tracks in the Fear Factory catalog: "Edgecrusher" and "Resurrection."

Co-produced by Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly) and Bill Gould (Faith No More), *Obsolete* refined the drum sound Herrera had developed on *Demanufacture* (1995) into something more polished and electronically sophisticated. Where *Demanufacture* had a raw, aggressive quality in its drum production, *Obsolete* sits in a cleaner, more spacious sonic environment — the triggered drum samples more precisely shaped, the electronic processing more integrated with the acoustic performance.

Rhys Fulber's background in electronic production through Front Line Assembly meant he approached the triggered drum signals as raw material to be sculpted rather than simple reinforcement of the acoustic performance. The kick triggers were processed for sub-bass density; the snare trigger shaped for maximum mechanical crack; the tom triggers integrated with the electronic layers. The result is the Fear Factory drum sound at its most defined.

Raymond Herrera's kit for *Obsolete* remained consistent with his *Demanufacture* setup — the same Pearl Reference Series with full ddrum/Roland trigger integration, Zildjian Z Custom cymbals, and Pearl Eliminator double bass pedals that had defined the band's sound since 1995. The continuity of the setup across both albums underlines how completely this gear had become the sonic identity of Fear Factory.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series (double bass configuration — two 22" x 18" kick drums)
- **Snare:** Pearl Custom 14" x 6.5", steel shell with ddrum trigger
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — Z Custom Series (14" hi-hats, 16" + 18" crashes, 20" ride, china)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal; ddrum triggers (full kit); Roland drum module; Vater Power 5B sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Pinstripe (bass kick batter), Remo Ambassador (toms batter)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension — fast mechanical response for Fulber's tight, processed production

### Pearl Reference Series: Industrial Precision at Fear Factory's Commercial Peak

Raymond Herrera's Pearl Reference Series kit on *Obsolete* was the same core setup refined through the *Demanufacture* cycle — Pearl's Reference Series shells providing the consistent maple construction that supports reliable trigger response across both the recording environment and the touring stage.

The double 22" kick configuration drove the machine-gun double-kick patterns that define the album's most aggressive moments. "Edgecrusher" opens with a sustained double-kick grid that is both physically executed by Herrera and electronically reinforced through the ddrum triggers. At the production level, Rhys Fulber shaped the triggered kick samples with more electronic processing than had appeared on *Demanufacture*, creating a kick sound that is simultaneously natural and processed.

The tom configuration — two rack toms and two floor toms, all triggered — continued to serve its industrial metal function: emphasizing structural transitions and punctuating fill passages with electronically enhanced attacks. On *Obsolete*, the toms are audibly more sample-enhanced than on *Demanufacture*, reflecting Fulber's electronic music background.

### Snare: The Mechanical Crack of Obsolete's Production

The snare sound on *Obsolete* is among the most electronically processed in Fear Factory's catalog. Herrera's Pearl Custom 14" x 6.5" steel-shell snare with trigger produced the acoustic impact that Fulber then combined with an electronically shaped sample to create the tight, mechanical snare sound throughout the album.

On tracks like "Edgecrusher" and "Shock," the snare has a quality that is simultaneously crisp and dense — the acoustic 6.5" steel shell delivering fast decay and cutting crack, the triggered sample adding an electronic layer that makes each backbeat register with machine-like consistency. This was particularly important for *Obsolete*'s sonic identity: the album's concept dealt with themes of surveillance and dehumanization, and the drum sound needed to embody that mechanical precision.

Fulber's approach differed from Ross Robinson's *Demanufacture* production. Where Robinson had emphasized the raw, physical quality of Herrera's performance, Fulber brought the triggered sample closer to equal weighting with the acoustic hit.

### Zildjian Z Custom: Cutting Through Obsolete's Processed Mix

Raymond Herrera's Zildjian Z Custom cymbal selection was unchanged from *Demanufacture* — the same series chosen for the same reasons: upper-frequency brightness that places cymbal frequencies above the dense guitar wall of industrial metal, and physical durability for sustained high-impact touring.

The Z Custom's brightness served a specific function in Rhys Fulber's production. Fulber's background in electronic music made him acutely aware of frequency competition in a dense mix — down-tuned guitars, industrial electronics, and heavy bass all competing for low and mid frequencies. The Z Custom's upper-frequency emphasis meant cymbals could project clearly through the mix.

The china cymbal receives particular emphasis on *Obsolete*. "Edgecrusher," "Shock," and "Smasher/Devourer" all feature prominent china cymbal accents — the Z Custom China's aggressive, trashy character providing the emphatic accent markers Fear Factory's structured compositions required.

## Key Facts

- Released August 25, 1998 — Fear Factory's US Platinum commercial peak
- Co-produced by Rhys Fulber (Front Line Assembly) and Bill Gould (Faith No More)
- Pearl Reference Series — same kit architecture as Demanufacture; setup continuous across the three-album arc
- Double 22" x 18" bass drums with ddrum triggers — machine-gun double-kick on "Edgecrusher" and "Shock"
- Zildjian Z Custom cymbals — china cymbal prominent throughout the album's most intense passages
- Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal — cam-adjustable action for varied double-kick demands
- More electronically polished drum sound than Demanufacture — Fulber's electronic production approach shapes triggered signals as production material
- Signature tracks: "Edgecrusher," "Resurrection," "Shock," "Smasher/Devourer," "Cars" (Gary Numan cover)
- Herrera's most commercially successful album — Platinum US certification
- Estimated kit value: $3,000–5,500 (Pearl Reference Series shell pack)
- Estimated snare value: $400–800

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

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*Last updated: 2026-06-27 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*