# Ben Koller's Drum Setup on Converge's The Dusk in Us (2017)

> Inside Ben Koller's drum setup for Converge's The Dusk in Us (2017) — the Grammy-nominated UK chart record featuring "I Can Tell You About Pain." Tama Starclassic Performer B/B, Zildjian K Custom and A Custom cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra, and Koller's most dynamic recorded performance.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Ben Koller](/llms/drummers/ben-koller.md)
**Band / Album:** Converge — *The Dusk in Us* (2017)
**Genre:** Mathcore / Hardcore

## Overview

Released on November 3, 2017 on Epitaph Records, Converge's The Dusk in Us is the Grammy-nominated, UK-charting record that brought Converge the broadest critical recognition of their career. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance and entered the UK charts — achievements that reflected how far Converge had carried their uncompromising approach into mainstream critical consciousness.

Ben Koller's drum setup on The Dusk in Us is his fully settled configuration: the Tama Starclassic Performer B/B (birch/bubinga hybrid shells), Tama S.L.P. 14" x 6.5" snare, Zildjian K Custom and A Custom cymbals, Tama Iron Cobra single pedal, Vater signature sticks, and Evans drumheads. Nothing is in transition — this is the definitive Koller setup, and The Dusk in Us is its most complete document.

The album is produced by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio in Salem, Massachusetts — now a highly evolved recording facility after sixteen years of development alongside Converge. The drum sound is the most dynamic and polished of any Converge record: more room, more body, wider dynamic graduation than Jane Doe, Axe to Fall, or All We Love We Leave Behind.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Performer B/B (birch/bubinga hybrid), Piano Black — single 22" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, 16" floor tom
- **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. (Studio Legendary Percussion), 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom / A Custom — 14" K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, 18" A Custom Crash, 19" A Custom Crash, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" A Custom China, 10" K Splash
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra (single pedal), Vater Ben Koller signature sticks
- **Heads:** Evans G2 Coated tom batters; Evans G1 Coated snare batter; Evans EMAD bass batter
- **Snare tuning:** Medium tension — widest dynamic range of any Converge record

### The Drum Kit: Tama Starclassic Performer B/B

By 2017, the Tama Starclassic Performer B/B is Koller's established kit. The birch/bubinga hybrid ("B/B") combines birch's punchy, articulate attack with bubinga's warmer, deeper fundamental — more versatile than pure bubinga for the wider dynamic range The Dusk in Us demands.

Koller's single-kick commitment is maintained throughout. Every blast beat and syncopated kick figure on the record was executed with a single 22" bass drum and one Iron Cobra pedal. The tom configuration shows slight streamlining — the album's primary setup uses a single 16" floor tom rather than the two-floor-tom layout of earlier records, keeping the kit physically compact while maintaining low-end floor punch.

### The Snare: Tama S.L.P. — Settled

The Tama S.L.P. 14" x 6.5" is the definitive Koller snare by this recording. At medium tension it balances cut for intense sections with warmth for the album's more atmospheric passages — "A Single Tear" opens with near-silence before full-intensity arrival, demanding a snare that registers meaningfully at both extremes. The 6.5" depth provides extra shell volume for projection authority on rimshots.

### Zildjian K Custom and A Custom — Fully Settled

Ben Koller's Zildjian configuration is fully established on The Dusk in Us. The K Custom Dark 14" Hi-Hats have tonal complexity that serves both blast-beat articulation and atmospheric restraint — at low velocities they have musical character that bright hats can't provide. The A Custom Crashes (18" and 19") deliver explosive brightness for the album's climactic arrivals. The K Custom Ride 21" sees extended use on the album's longer, developmental songs — particularly the seven-minute closer "It Rides." The A Custom China 18" marks violent transitions; the K Splash 10" punctuates syncopated figures throughout.

### GodCity 2017: Most Refined Production

The Dusk in Us represents Ballou's most developed GodCity production. The drum sound has more room and natural ambience contributing to the character than any prior Converge record, with wider dynamic graduation between quiet passages and full-intensity sections. Koller tracked in live takes with the band.

## Key Facts

- Released November 3, 2017 on Epitaph Records
- Produced by Kurt Ballou at GodCity Studio, Salem, Massachusetts
- Grammy nomination — Best Metal Performance
- UK chart entry — broadest mainstream critical recognition to date
- Single 22" bass drum — no double pedal throughout
- Tama Starclassic Performer B/B — birch/bubinga hybrid, fully settled kit
- Tama S.L.P. snare 14" x 6.5" — definitive Koller snare configuration
- Zildjian K Custom Dark Hi-Hats, A Custom Crashes (18"/19"), K Custom Ride 21"
- Vater Ben Koller signature sticks
- Evans G2 Coated tom batters, EMAD bass drum batter
- "I Can Tell You About Pain" — defining single
- Estimated kit value: $1,800–2,800 (Starclassic Performer B/B shell pack)

## Internal Links

- [Ben Koller — Full Drummer Profile](/drummer/ben-koller)
- [Jane Doe Drum Setup (2001)](/articles/jane-doe-drum-setup)
- [Axe to Fall Drum Setup (2009)](/articles/axe-to-fall-drum-setup)
- [All We Love We Leave Behind Drum Setup (2012)](/articles/all-we-love-we-leave-behind-drum-setup)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/the-dusk-in-us-drum-setup

**More LLM resources:** [Site index](/llms.txt) · [Full database](/llms-full.txt) · [Master FAQ](/llms/faq.md) · [Drummer index](/llms/index.md)

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