# Something Wild Drum Setup: Jaska Raatikainen's Gear on Children of Bodom's 1997 Debut

> Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Jaska Raatikainen used on Children of Bodom's Something Wild (1997). Complete breakdown of the pre-endorsement Pearl configuration, Zildjian A Series cymbals, and double pedal setup behind CoB's debut.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Jaska Raatikainen](/llms/drummers/jaska-raatikainen.md)
**Band / Album:** Children of Bodom — *Something Wild* (1997)
**Genre:** Melodic Death Metal
**Label:** Spinefarm Records

## Overview

Released on November 5, 1997, *Something Wild* is Children of Bodom's debut full-length album — and the record that introduced Jaska Raatikainen's drumming to the world. The band had only just renamed from Inearthed to Children of Bodom that same year, and *Something Wild* captures Raatikainen at his youngest and most raw: 17 or 18 years old, equipped with a pre-endorsement Pearl configuration, Zildjian A Series cymbals, and Pearl bass drum pedals, playing the melodic death metal vocabulary that he and Alexi Laiho had been developing since co-founding the band in Espoo in 1993.

The debut's significance in the Children of Bodom arc is hard to overstate. *Something Wild* introduced the essential CoB formula — Janne Wirman's neo-classical keyboard countermelodies layered over Alexi Laiho's shredding guitar runs, underpinned by Raatikainen's relentless but musically aware drumming — before Spinefarm Records had the international distribution network to bring it to audiences outside Finland. 'Lake Bodom,' 'Deadnight Warrior,' and 'Red Light in My Eyes' established the compositional DNA that *Hatebreeder* (1999) would refine and *Follow the Reaper* (2000) would take global.

What distinguishes the *Something Wild* drum sound from every subsequent CoB record is its pre-endorsement character: no sponsored kit, no contracted cymbal relationship, no Pearl clinics or Zildjian artist commitments. This is Jaska Raatikainen playing the gear a young Finnish metal drummer assembled for himself — a Pearl professional configuration with Zildjian A Series cymbals selected for their practical cut and musical brightness, not marketing considerations. That rawness is audible in the recording and historically unique in the Children of Bodom catalog.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl professional configuration, pre-endorsement setup (Custom finish)
- **Snare:** Pearl 14" x 5.5" Maple Snare
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — Zildjian A Series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Pearl double bass pedal (early configuration); Vic Firth American Classic 5A; Remo Emperor Coated; Remo Powerstroke 3
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium to medium-bright — clarity for neo-classical death metal arrangements without sacrificing body

### Pre-Endorsement Pearl Configuration: The Origin Kit

For *Something Wild*, Jaska Raatikainen played a pre-endorsement Pearl configuration — the professional-grade Pearl setup he had assembled before any Masters endorsement relationship. Pearl's construction philosophy, consistent since the Export series established the brand in working drummers' hands, made Pearl a natural choice: reliable double-kick hardware, consistent shell response, and the mechanical durability that a 17-year-old drummer needed for the intense physical demands of melodic death metal.

The double bass drum configuration — twin 22" x 18" kick drums — was part of Raatikainen's approach from the earliest Children of Bodom sessions. The album's neo-classical arrangements required sustained double-kick velocity as a structural foundation: 'Deadnight Warrior' opens with immediate double-bass momentum; 'Lake Bodom' deploys extended kick patterns that support the song's dramatic build and release structure. The 22" diameter provided the low-frequency mass that gives kicks presence in a guitar-and-keyboard-dense mix; the 18" depth added the attack definition that Raatikainen's musical approach demanded.

The compact tom spread — 10" and 12" rack toms paired with 14" and 16" floor toms — is the configuration Raatikainen would maintain across every subsequent Children of Bodom record. Even at 17, the four-tom layout gave him the tonal range to execute the melody-following fills that would become his signature: phrases that track Janne Wirman's keyboard runs and Alexi Laiho's guitar harmonics rather than simply marking rhythmic subdivisions.

### Pearl 14" x 5.5" Maple Snare

Raatikainen's snare on *Something Wild* was a Pearl maple model — matched to the kit's shell character and the sonic demands of CoB's debut-era compositions. The 14" x 5.5" dimensions balanced crack and attack for blast beat sections and fast single-stroke runs with enough body and sustain to track musically alongside Janne Wirman's keyboard layers and Alexi Laiho's neo-classical guitar harmonics.

Maple shell construction gave the snare a warmer, more musical character than steel or brass alternatives — a choice that suited Children of Bodom's hybrid approach, where melodic content carried equal compositional weight to aggression. The raw, direct recording approach that characterizes *Something Wild* captured the Pearl maple snare with an immediacy that distinguishes the debut from CoB's later, more polished productions.

### Zildjian A Series: Musical Brightness for the Debut

Jaska Raatikainen's cymbal setup on *Something Wild* centered on Zildjian's A Series — a pre-endorsement selection chosen for practical musical reasons rather than brand commitment. The Zildjian A Series' B20 bronze alloy and traditional lathing produce a bright, immediately responsive sound with clear attack and consistent sustain — exactly what neo-classical death metal demands when cymbals must cut through dense keyboard and guitar arrangements.

On *Something Wild*, where Janne Wirman's keyboards occupied substantial harmonic space on every track, cymbal clarity was essential. The 14" A hi-hats provided articulation for rapid 16th-note patterns at high tempos. The two A crashes (16" and 18") gave Raatikainen tonal variety for accent work: the 16" for fast explosive punctuation; the 18" for section boundaries and climactic moments. The 18" A China — deployed at riff transitions in 'Lake Bodom' and 'Deadnight Warrior' — added the trashy, upward-cutting attack that distinguishes CoB's accent language.

## Key Facts

- Debut album under the Children of Bodom name (band renamed from Inearthed in 1997)
- Released November 5, 1997 on Spinefarm Records — before Hatebreeder brought international recognition
- Jaska Raatikainen, age 17–18 — pre-endorsement Pearl configuration
- Zildjian A Series cymbals throughout — pre-commercial-relationship selection
- Pearl double bass pedal (early configuration) — chain-drive foundation for the CoB double-kick vocabulary
- Features 'Lake Bodom,' one of CoB's most iconic songs
- Double 22" x 18" bass drums for sustained double-kick at melodic death metal tempos
- Compact tom spread (10", 12", 14", 16") — maintained across Raatikainen's entire CoB career
- Estimated kit value: $800–1,800 (Pearl professional configuration, 1997)
- Estimated snare value: $200–400 (Pearl maple snare, 1997)
- Origin point of the complete CoB arc: Something Wild → Hatebreeder → Follow the Reaper → Hate Crew Deathroll

## Frequently Asked Questions

**What kit did Jaska Raatikainen use on Something Wild?**
On *Something Wild* (1997), Jaska Raatikainen played a pre-endorsement Pearl configuration — an early professional Pearl setup assembled before the Masters Premium Maple endorsement that would define his later career. The kit featured twin 22" x 18" bass drums, rack toms (10" and 12"), and floor toms (14" and 16"). This is the earliest documented CoB studio kit, predating the Tama Starclassic era documented on *Hate Crew Deathroll* (2003) and the Pearl Masters endorsement that followed. See the [Jaska Raatikainen full kit guide](/articles/jaska-raatikainen-drum-setup) for his complete gear evolution.

**What label released Children of Bodom's debut album Something Wild?**
Children of Bodom's debut album *Something Wild* was released on Spinefarm Records on November 5, 1997. Spinefarm Records is one of the most significant Finnish heavy metal labels, and the CoB relationship with Spinefarm continued through much of the band's career before Nuclear Blast became their international partner for later releases. *Something Wild* was the record that brought CoB to Spinefarm's attention — released before *Hatebreeder* put the band on the international map.

**How does Something Wild compare to Hatebreeder in terms of drum sound?**
*Something Wild* (1997) is rawer and more direct than *Hatebreeder* (1999) — Raatikainen at 17–18 years old on a pre-endorsement Pearl configuration, with the Zildjian A Series providing natural brightness without post-production polish. *Hatebreeder* has more refined production, recorded at Astia Studio with producer Anssi Kippo, who established the sonic blueprint for CoB's next decade of recordings. Both records use the same fundamental drumming vocabulary, but *Something Wild*'s pre-endorsement immediacy gives it a character that no subsequent CoB album replicates. See the [Hatebreeder drum setup article](/articles/hatebreeder-drum-setup) for the direct comparison.

**What cymbals did Jaska Raatikainen use on Something Wild?**
Jaska Raatikainen used Zildjian A Series cymbals on *Something Wild* (1997) — a pre-endorsement selection that preceded the Paiste configurations documented on later CoB albums. The A Series setup included 14" A hi-hats, A crashes (16" and 18"), a 20" A ride, and an 18" A China. The Zildjian A's B20 bronze alloy and traditional lathing delivered the natural brightness and cut that melodic death metal requires in keyboard-heavy arrangements.

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

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