# The Satanist Drum Setup: Inferno's Studio Arsenal for Behemoth's AOTY 2014

> Complete breakdown of Inferno's drum setup for Behemoth's The Satanist (2014). Discover the Tama Starclassic Maple kit, Pearl Masterworks snare, and Meinl cymbals that powered extreme metal's Album of the Year.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Inferno](/llms/drummers/inferno.md)
**Band / Album:** Behemoth — *The Satanist* (2014)
**Genre:** Blackened Death Metal

## Overview

When Behemoth entered Hertz Studio in Białystok, Poland in 2013, they were recording under extraordinary circumstances. Frontman Nergal had recently survived leukemia, emerging from the experience with an album that would redefine what blackened death metal could achieve. At the rhythmic core of that vision was Inferno — Zbigniew Robert Promiński — delivering one of the most precise and powerful drumming performances of his career.

Released on February 3, 2014 through Metal Blade Records, *The Satanist* became Behemoth's 10th studio album and their most critically acclaimed work. By year's end it had been named Album of the Year by Metal Hammer, Terrorizer, Decibel, Kerrang!, and dozens of international publications. It received a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards. The album permanently elevated Behemoth from underground favorites to the front rank of extreme metal.

Inferno's contribution to that achievement was immense. Across nine tracks of blackened death metal operating at 180–220 BPM, his drumming was surgically precise yet organically brutal — the rare combination that separates iconic recordings from merely competent ones. The studio setup he used for these sessions differed significantly from his established live electronic hybrid rig: for *The Satanist*, the approach was primarily acoustic, centered on a Tama Starclassic Maple kit, Pearl Masterworks snare, and his signature Meinl cymbal selection.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple (studio configuration)
- **Snare:** Pearl Masterworks Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Meinl — Classics Custom Dark / Byzance series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Pearl Demon Drive pedals; Pearl Demon Series Hi-Hat Stand; Vic Firth 5B or 2B sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor X or Evans HD Dry (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** High tension for maximum clarity at blast beat tempos

### Inferno's Tama Starclassic Maple: The Satanist Studio Configuration

For *The Satanist* recording sessions, Inferno chose the Tama Starclassic Maple — a significant departure from the Pearl Reference Pure kit he favors for live Behemoth performances. This deliberate choice reflects a fundamental principle of professional drumming: studio and stage have different requirements, and gear should serve each context specifically.

The Tama Starclassic Maple's all-maple shell construction delivers a warmer, more resonant fundamental compared to the maple/birch hybrid of the Pearl Reference Pure. In a studio recording context, where the Wiesławski brothers at Hertz Studio could work with the room acoustics and microphone placement rather than projecting over stage monitors and PA systems, that additional resonance and tonal complexity worked in the album's favor.

The double 22" x 18" bass drum configuration maintained the extreme metal standard — two independent kicks rather than a double pedal on a single drum. At the tempos Inferno operates across *The Satanist*, the independence and control offered by two separate bass drums is non-negotiable.

### Pearl Masterworks: Precision at the Core

Inferno's Pearl Masterworks snare was the rhythmic anchor of *The Satanist*. At 14" x 6.5", it strikes the ideal balance for extreme metal applications: enough depth for body and projection, shallow enough to respond immediately at blast beat tempos.

The tuning approach — relatively high tension with controlled snare wire response — ensured that each stroke spoke clearly in Hertz Studio's mix. The Masterworks series' exceptional stroke-to-stroke consistency was critical when executing double-time patterns at the upper limit of physical capability.

### Meinl Darkness: The Satanist Cymbal Palette

Inferno's Meinl Classics Custom Dark cymbal selection for *The Satanist* reflected the album's sonic identity. The Dark series reduces brightness and increases tonal complexity — rather than cutting cymbals that project above the mix, the Classics Custom Dark blends with Behemoth's dense guitar layers, creating a unified sonic mass.

The 14" Dark hi-hats maintained articulation during blast passages without excessive sustain washing out rhythmic clarity at 220 BPM. The Byzance 19" Extra Dry Thin Crash added raw, spontaneous character for the album's most climactic moments.

## Key Facts

- Recorded at Hertz Studio, Białystok, Poland — Behemoth's long-time studio home
- Studio setup: Tama Starclassic Maple — distinct from live Pearl Reference Pure rig
- Pearl Masterworks snare for precision articulation across 9 demanding tracks
- Meinl Classics Custom Dark series for controlled, dark tonal character
- Album of the Year 2014 across major metal publications worldwide
- Grammy nomination: Best Metal Performance, 58th Grammy Awards
- Produced by Behemoth with Wojtek and Sławek Wiesławski (Hertz Studio)
- Nine tracks spanning 180–220 BPM blast beat sections to mid-paced hymn-like passages
- Estimated kit value: $3,500–5,500 (Tama Starclassic Maple professional configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $600–900 (Pearl Masterworks custom snare)
- Estimated cymbal value: $1,400–2,200 (Meinl Classics Custom Dark + Byzance selection)

## Related

- [Inferno drummer profile](/drummer/inferno)
- [What's In Inferno's Kit](/articles/whats-in-infernos-kit)
- [Blast beat techniques guide](/articles/blast-beat-techniques)
- [Altars of Madness drum setup](/articles/altars-of-madness-drum-setup)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/the-satanist-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: 2026-06-20 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*