# Testament "Titans of Creation" Drum Setup (Gene Hoglan, 2020)

> Gene Hoglan's definitive modern testament to precision — Titans of Creation (2020) drum setup breakdown. Pearl Reference Pure drums, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, Pearl Eliminator pedals. Recorded during COVID lockdown, the album closes Hoglan's Testament arc with his most refined setup yet.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Gene Hoglan](/llms/drummers/gene-hoglan.md)
**Band / Album:** Testament — *Titans of Creation* (2020)
**Genre:** Thrash Metal

## Overview

When Testament released *Titans of Creation* on April 3, 2020 — during the COVID-19 lockdown — it arrived as one of the finest albums in the band's four-decade catalog. Recorded at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland with producer Juan Urteaga (the same team behind Brotherhood of the Snake in 2016), the album captured Gene Hoglan in his most refined modern gear era: Pearl Reference Pure drums, Pearl Eliminator pedals, and Zildjian A Custom cymbals.

Where the 2016 sessions featured the Pearl Reference Series (maple/birch hybrid shells) and DW 9000 pedals, the 2020 album marked significant upgrades. The Reference Pure's pure maple shells produce greater warmth and resonance than the hybrid construction, and the Pearl Eliminator pedals aligned Hoglan's full setup under his Pearl endorsement. The result is a drum sound that is simultaneously heavier and more three-dimensional than its 2016 predecessor — the most deliberate, refined studio performance of Hoglan's Testament tenure.

For his complete career gear overview, see the [gene-hoglan-drum-setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/gene-hoglan-drum-setup) profile. For the 2016 predecessor, see [brotherhood-of-the-snake-drum-setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/brotherhood-of-the-snake-drum-setup). For his Death-era recordings, see [individual-thought-patterns-drum-setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/individual-thought-patterns-drum-setup) and [symbolic-drum-setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/symbolic-drum-setup).

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure (6-ply pure maple)
- **Configuration:** Two 22" x 18" bass drums (independent double kick), 10" x 8" rack tom, 12" x 9" rack tom, 14" x 14" floor tom, 16" x 16" floor tom
- **Snare:** Pearl Reference Pure Free-Floating, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom Series — 14" Hi-Hats, 16" Crash, 18" Crash, 19" Crash, 20" Ride, 18" China
- **Pedals:** Pearl Eliminator Single Pedals (one per bass drum)
- **Sticks:** Promark TX5BW (5B Wood Tip)
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (snare batter), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter), Remo Powerstroke 3 (bass drum batter)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium for warmth and resonance while maintaining attack across thrash tempos
- **Estimated kit value:** $6,000–8,500 (2020)

### Pearl Reference Pure: Hoglan's Apex Setup

The Pearl Reference Pure is Pearl's professional flagship — a step above the Reference Series used on Brotherhood of the Snake (2016). Pure maple shells (6-ply) produce a fuller, more resonant fundamental tone with longer sustain and greater tonal complexity than the 16-ply maple/birch hybrid of the standard Reference Series. This warmth suited *Titans of Creation's* more dynamic production, which gave the drums more space to breathe within the arrangement.

Hoglan retained his signature twin 22" x 18" bass drum configuration — two independent drums rather than a double pedal — alongside a four-tom spread (10", 12", 14", 16") that provides the full melodic fill vocabulary audible throughout the album's most intricate passages.

### Pearl Reference Pure Free-Floating Snare

The Pearl Free-Floating mounting system allows the shell to vibrate freely without hardware contact points dampening the tone. Combined with the pure maple shell's natural warmth, this produced a snare character notably different from the Pearl Reference Brass used in 2016: warmer, more resonant, and with greater sensitivity for ghost notes — all qualities audible on "Children of the Next Level," the album's lead single.

### Zildjian A Custom Cymbals

Hoglan maintained his Zildjian A Custom platform from the 2016 sessions — computer-assisted hammering and brilliant finish delivering brighter, more uniform response at high tempos than the traditional A series. Three crashes (16", 18", 19") provided graduated dynamic options across the album's compositional range; the 20" ride offered textural contrast in sustained groove sections; the 18" China delivered cutting aggression on the heaviest passages.

### Pearl Eliminator Pedals

The switch from DW 9000 single pedals (2016) to Pearl Eliminator singles (2020) aligned Hoglan's full setup under his Pearl endorsement. The Eliminator's interchangeable cam system — round, eccentric, and offset geometries — allowed Hoglan to optimize the pedal's feel and power stroke for the 2020 material's specific tempo and dynamic requirements.

## Key Facts

- Released April 3, 2020, during COVID-19 lockdown — recorded at Sharkbite Studios, Oakland
- Producer Juan Urteaga — third collaboration with Testament and Hoglan (following Dark Roots of Earth 2012 and Brotherhood of the Snake 2016)
- Pearl Reference Pure kit — pure maple flagship, upgraded from 2016's maple/birch hybrid Reference Series
- Pearl Eliminator pedals — switched from DW 9000s used on Brotherhood of the Snake (2016)
- Zildjian A Custom cymbals — consistent with and refined from the 2016 era
- Independent twin 22" x 18" bass drums — Hoglan's signature setup since the Dark Angel era
- Grammy consideration for "Children of the Next Level" — Best Metal Performance category
- COVID lockdown provided extended session time for heightened compositional refinement
- Minimal triggering — organic performance philosophy maintained from 2016 sessions
- Estimated kit value: $6,000–8,500 (2020)

## FAQ

**Q: What drums did Gene Hoglan use on Titans of Creation?**
A: Gene Hoglan recorded Titans of Creation (2020) using a Pearl Reference Pure kit — Pearl's pure maple professional flagship, a step above the maple/birch hybrid Reference Series he used on Brotherhood of the Snake (2016). His configuration retained his signature twin 22" x 18" bass drums for independent double-kick, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. His snare was a Pearl Reference Pure Free-Floating model at 14" x 6.5". Cymbals were Zildjian A Custom series, and he switched from DW 9000s to Pearl Eliminator single pedals (one per bass drum) for the 2020 sessions.

**Q: How does Titans of Creation differ from Brotherhood of the Snake gear-wise?**
A: Three key gear changes distinguish Titans of Creation (2020) from Brotherhood of the Snake (2016). First, Hoglan upgraded from Pearl Reference Series (16-ply maple/birch hybrid) to Pearl Reference Pure (6-ply pure maple) — a warmer, more resonant shell construction. Second, his snare changed from Pearl Reference Brass to Pearl Reference Pure Free-Floating, shifting from brass midrange cut to maple warmth. Third, his bass drum pedals changed from DW 9000 singles to Pearl Eliminator singles, aligning his full setup under the Pearl endorsement. Zildjian A Custom cymbals remained consistent across both albums.

**Q: Was Titans of Creation recorded during COVID lockdown?**
A: Yes — Testament recorded Titans of Creation at Sharkbite Studios in Oakland during the COVID-19 pandemic and released it on April 3, 2020, weeks into the global lockdown. Producer Juan Urteaga, who had also produced Brotherhood of the Snake (2016), returned for the sessions. The unusual conditions — no touring pressure and extended session time — contributed to what many critics regard as one of the most refined albums in Testament's catalog. Gene Hoglan's drum performances reflect the extra compositional care invested during the lockdown sessions.

**Q: What pedals did Gene Hoglan use on Titans of Creation?**
A: Gene Hoglan used Pearl Eliminator single pedals on Titans of Creation (2020) — one pedal per bass drum, maintaining his independent double-kick philosophy. This represented a change from the DW 9000 single pedals used on Brotherhood of the Snake (2016). As a Pearl endorser, the switch to Pearl Eliminators aligned his pedal platform with his drum brand. The Pearl Eliminator's interchangeable cam system allowed Hoglan to fine-tune pedal feel and power stroke for the 2020 material's specific requirements.

## Related

- [Gene Hoglan drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/gene-hoglan-drum-setup) — Complete career gear overview
- [Brotherhood of the Snake drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/brotherhood-of-the-snake-drum-setup) — Hoglan's 2016 Testament reunion album
- [Individual Thought Patterns drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/individual-thought-patterns-drum-setup) — Hoglan's Death debut (1993)
- [Symbolic drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/symbolic-drum-setup) — Hoglan's Death masterpiece (1995)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/titans-of-creation-drum-setup