# Ryan Van Poederooyen's Drum Setup on Devin Townsend Project's 'Deconstruction' (2011)

> The drum setup Ryan Van Poederooyen used to record Devin Townsend Project's 'Deconstruction' — the double-kick Pearl Reference rig and Sabian AAX/HHX cymbals behind one of progressive metal's most demanding drum performances.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Ryan Van Poederooyen](/llms/drummers/ryan-van-poederooyen.md)
**Band / Album:** Devin Townsend Project — *Deconstruction* (2011)
**Genre:** Progressive Metal / Extreme Metal

## Overview

Released June 20, 2011 on HevyDevy Records and InsideOut Music, "Deconstruction" is the fourth Devin Townsend Project album and, by wide consensus among progressive metal drummers, the single most demanding drum performance of Ryan Van Poederooyen's 25-plus-year collaboration with Devin Townsend. Recorded between November 2010 and February 2011 and produced by Townsend himself with Jens Bogren mixing, the album is a sprawling, maximalist statement — ten tracks (including the deluxe bonus "Ho Krll") running 70 minutes, layered with a guest list that includes Mikael Åkerfeldt of Opeth, Ihsahn of Emperor, Tommy Rogers of Between the Buried and Me, Joe Duplantier of Gojira, Paul Masvidal of Cynic, Greg Puciato, Floor Jansen, GWAR's Oderus Urungus, and a full recording session with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

What makes "Deconstruction" unique in Van Poederooyen's discography — and in progressive metal generally — is that he shares the drum chair on this specific album with Dirk Verbeuren, who would go on to become Megadeth's drummer five years later. The two drummers' dual-drums credit on "Deconstruction" makes this a rare crossover point between two drummers otherwise profiled separately on MetalForge, each bringing their own technical sensibility to a record built to be, in Townsend's own words, deliberately "deranged" and "sonically overwhelming" — Metal Hammer gave it 9/10 on release.

"Deconstruction" was released the same day as "Ghost," Townsend's ambient, near-acoustic companion album — a dual release that remains one of the most extreme stylistic contrasts ever issued as a single-day pair. Where "Ghost" called for restraint and near-silence, "Deconstruction" demanded full-intensity, technically extreme drumming across sprawling arrangements like the 16-minute "The Mighty Masturbator" and the tightly wound single "Juular." Van Poederooyen's ability to deliver both records from the same fundamental rig, on the same day of release, is precisely the versatility that defines his reputation.

This article is a dedicated breakdown of the rig Van Poederooyen used specifically on "Deconstruction" — distinct from the general MetalForge gear overview — covering the double-kick Pearl Reference configuration, the Sabian AAX/HHX cymbal spread, and the technique this uniquely demanding record required.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Pearl Reference Series (Maple/mahogany hybrid, 2011 recording configuration finish)
- **Snare:** Pearl Pearl Free-Floating / Sensitone Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Sabian — Sabian AAX / HHX Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra Double Bass Pedal (x2, one per kick drum); Vic Firth American Classic 5B; Remo Powerstroke 3
- **Heads:** Remo Coated Ambassador (batter), Remo Diplomat Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium to medium-bright, balancing cut against a maximalist, guest-vocalist-heavy mix

### Pearl Reference Double Kick: Built for Deconstruction's Extremes

For "Deconstruction," Van Poederooyen recorded on a true double bass drum configuration — two 22" x 18" Pearl Reference kick drums — a setup he uses more selectively than a fixed touring standard, reserved for exactly the kind of full-intensity material this album demanded. The maple/mahogany hybrid shell construction gave engineers Devin Townsend and Jens Bogren a kit that could deliver "Deconstruction"'s crushing low end without collapsing into an undefined wall of sound: maple's bright attack keeps the double-kick patterns articulate even during "The Mighty Masturbator"'s sprawling 16-minute runtime, while the mahogany component supplies the sub-bass mass that makes the heaviest passages physically felt.

The same physical kit — without reconfiguration — also recorded "Ghost" on the same release day, which is the detail that best explains why Van Poederooyen chose the Reference series in the first place: it needed to respond as sensitively to "Ghost"'s near-inaudible ambient patches as it did to "Deconstruction"'s double-kick assault. Nothing about the shell pack changed between the two sessions; only the playing did.

The compact two-rack-tom, two-floor-tom spread kept the kit efficient for a record that layers so much additional instrumentation — guest vocalists, orchestral passages, dense guitar tracking — that an oversized drum kit would have crowded Townsend and Bogren's mix rather than serving it.

### Pearl Snare: Anchoring a Maximalist Mix

On a record this densely arranged — layered guitars, orchestral passages, and a rotating cast of guest vocalists — Van Poederooyen's snare has to anchor the rhythmic foundation without disappearing into the mix. His 14" x 6.5" Pearl snare, tuned medium to medium-bright, delivers the explosive crack needed for "Deconstruction"'s most aggressive passages while retaining enough sensitivity for the record's occasional pulled-back moments, such as the transitions into "Pandemic" and "Poltergeist."

The 6.5" depth supplies sufficient body at medium tension, which matters on a record where the snare has to read clearly whether it's sitting beneath Ihsahn's guest vocal on one track or Mikael Åkerfeldt's on another, each with its own vocal frequency profile competing for space in Jens Bogren's mix. Van Poederooyen's tuning choice — bright enough to cut, not so bright it turns brittle — is a big part of why the drums remain a consistent anchor across an album that otherwise never sits still stylistically.

### Sabian AAX/HHX: Cutting Through Deconstruction's Density

"Deconstruction" put Van Poederooyen's Sabian AAX/HHX combination through its most extreme test. The bright, fast-attacking AAX line projects clearly through the album's heaviest sections — the double-kick assault of the title track, the density of "Planet of the Apes" — while the darker, more complex HHX series serves the record's progressive and orchestral dimensions, including the passages recorded alongside the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

The 20" HHX Ride carries particular weight on a record built around extended compositions: "The Mighty Masturbator" runs over 16 minutes, and a ride cymbal with a one-dimensional wash would flatten the track's long-form harmonic development. Its complex wash and defined bell give Van Poederooyen a tool that reads as musical rather than merely rhythmic across that kind of duration.

The 18" AAX China supplies the aggressive, trashy accent that punctuates the album's most extreme peaks — a texture Metal Hammer's review specifically singled out as part of what made the record feel "sonically overwhelming" in the best sense.

## Key Facts

- Released June 20, 2011 on HevyDevy Records / InsideOut Music; produced by Devin Townsend, mixed by Jens Bogren
- Recorded November 2010–February 2011; released the same day as the ambient companion album 'Ghost'
- Dual drums credit shared with Dirk Verbeuren — a rare crossover between two MetalForge-profiled drummers on one album
- Guest vocalists include Mikael Åkerfeldt, Ihsahn, Tommy Rogers, Joe Duplantier, and the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra
- Metal Hammer gave the album 9/10, calling it Townsend's most 'deranged, complex and sonically overwhelming' work
- Double 22" x 18" Pearl Reference bass drums — the only true double-kick configuration in Van Poederooyen's discography
- True double bass configuration — two 22" x 18" Pearl Reference kick drums
- Maple/mahogany hybrid shells for both crushing low end and articulate attack
- Same physical kit recorded the ambient companion album 'Ghost' on the same release day
- Compact tom spread kept the kit from crowding a densely layered, guest-heavy mix
- Estimated kit value: $3,500–6,000 (Pearl Reference double-kick shell pack, 2011 configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $350–700

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What drum kit did Ryan Van Poederooyen use on 'Deconstruction'?**

A: Ryan Van Poederooyen recorded 'Deconstruction' (2011) on a true double bass drum configuration — two 22" x 18" Pearl Reference kick drums, each driven by its own Tama Iron Cobra pedal, alongside 10" and 12" rack toms and 16" and 18" floor toms. This is a rare instance in his discography of a genuine double-kick setup rather than his usual single-kick-plus-double-pedal configuration, chosen specifically for the album's crushing double-bass demands. For his general setup, see the [Ryan Van Poederooyen drum setup breakdown](/articles/ryan-van-poederooyen-drum-setup).

**Q: Why is 'Deconstruction' considered one of Ryan Van Poederooyen's most demanding performances?**

A: 'Deconstruction' is widely cited among progressive metal drummers as one of the most demanding drum performances in the genre, combining a true double-kick configuration, extended compositions like the 16-minute 'The Mighty Masturbator,' and a dense arrangement layered with guest vocalists and a full Prague Philharmonic Orchestra session. Metal Hammer gave the album 9/10, calling it Devin Townsend's most 'deranged, complex and sonically overwhelming' work — a description that applies equally to the drumming required to hold it together.

**Q: Did Ryan Van Poederooyen play drums alone on 'Deconstruction'?**

A: No — 'Deconstruction' carries a dual drums credit shared with Dirk Verbeuren, who would later become Megadeth's drummer. This makes the album a rare crossover point between the two drummers, each contributing their own technical sensibility to one of Devin Townsend's most maximalist records.

**Q: What cymbals did Ryan Van Poederooyen play on 'Deconstruction'?**

A: Van Poederooyen played a Sabian AAX/HHX combination on 'Deconstruction': 14" AAX hi-hats, a 16" AAX crash, an 18" HHX crash, a 20" HHX ride, and an 18" AAX china. The bright AAX line handled projection through the album's heaviest sections, while the darker HHX series served its progressive and orchestral passages, including the sections recorded with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.

**Q: How does 'Deconstruction' compare to Devin Townsend's ambient album 'Ghost'?**

A: 'Deconstruction' and 'Ghost' were released on the same day — June 20, 2011 — as deliberately opposite statements: one a maximalist, double-kick-driven extreme metal record, the other a near-acoustic, ambient companion piece. Ryan Van Poederooyen recorded both on the same fundamental Pearl Reference kit, and the ability to deliver full-intensity double bass on one album and near-silent restraint on the other, on the same release day, is frequently cited as the clearest demonstration of his versatility as a drummer.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/ryan-van-poederooyen-deconstruction-2011

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*Last updated: 2026-07-05 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*