# What the Dead Men Say Drum Setup: Alex Bent's Pandemic-Era Trivium Album (2020)

> Complete gear breakdown for Alex Bent's drum setup on Trivium's What the Dead Men Say (2020). Pearl Reference kit, Meinl Byzance cymbals, and the Studio 606 drum sessions behind Trivium's ninth album, released as the COVID-19 pandemic shut down touring.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Alex Bent](/llms/drummers/alex-bent.md)
**Band / Album:** Trivium — *What the Dead Men Say* (2020)
**Genre:** Metalcore / Progressive Metal

## Overview

Trivium's ninth studio album, "What the Dead Men Say," arrived on April 24, 2020 on Roadrunner Records — five weeks into the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns in the United States. The band had no way of knowing when they recorded it in late 2019 that their album cycle would open with every venue on earth closed; the record ended up promoted almost entirely through livestreams and press rather than the touring cycle a new Trivium album would normally command.

The album was tracked at Full Sail University in Orlando with returning producer Josh Wilbur, but Alex Bent's drum tracks were recorded separately at Studio 606 in Los Angeles — the studio built by Dave Grohl best known as the home base for Foo Fighters and Nirvana's later sessions. It gave Bent's drum tracking a specific room character distinct from the rest of the album's Orlando sessions.

Musically, "What the Dead Men Say" pushed further into progressive territory than its predecessor, opening with the instrumental "IX" before launching into the title track and songs like "Catastrophist" and "The Defiant." Bent's playing reflects that shift — more dynamic range and compositional variety than the more direct, riff-driven "The Sin and the Sentence," while keeping the same double-bass intensity in the album's heavier sections.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series (Matte Black), double 22" x 18" bass drums, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms — unchanged from The Sin and the Sentence
- **Snare:** Pearl Reference Snare, 14" x 6.5", maple/birch hybrid shell
- **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Brilliant — 14" Medium Hi-Hats, 16"/19" Medium Thin Crashes, 21" Medium Ride, 18" China
- **Pedals:** Axis A21 Longboard Double Pedal
- **Heads:** Evans EMAD/EQ3 (kick), Evans G2/G1 Clear (toms), Evans EC Reverse Dot/Hazy 300 (snare)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for articulation across a wider dynamic range

### The Reference Setup Holds Steady

Bent carried the same Pearl Reference Series kit from "The Sin and the Sentence" directly into "What the Dead Men Say" — matte black finish, double 22" x 18" bass drums, and the same compact 4-piece tom array. The consistency mattered: with drum tracking happening at Studio 606 rather than alongside the rest of the band's Orlando sessions, keeping the exact same kit removed one variable from an already unusual recording split.

The more progressive material on this record — extended tracks like "Amongst the Shadows and the Stones" and the atmospheric opener "IX" — asked more of the kit's dynamic range than the direct, riff-tight approach of the debut.

### Meinl Byzance Brilliant, Refined

Bent's Meinl Byzance Brilliant setup carried over from the debut with one addition: a larger 19" Medium Thin Crash alongside the 16", giving him a bigger wash for the album's more dramatic dynamic builds. The rest of the setup — 14" hi-hats, 21" ride, 18" China — stayed consistent with "The Sin and the Sentence."

## Key Facts

- Trivium's ninth studio album, released April 24, 2020 on Roadrunner Records
- Released five weeks into COVID-19 lockdowns — promoted via livestreams instead of a touring cycle
- Produced by Josh Wilbur; tracked at Full Sail University, Orlando
- Alex Bent's drum tracks recorded separately at Studio 606, Los Angeles (Dave Grohl's studio)
- Alex Bent's second Trivium album — more progressive structures than The Sin and the Sentence
- Debuted at #35 on the Billboard 200
- Estimated kit value: $5,000-8,000 (2020)

## FAQ

**What drum kit did Alex Bent use on What the Dead Men Say?**
Alex Bent used the same Pearl Reference Series kit from The Sin and the Sentence — a matte black finish with double 22" x 18" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. His drum tracks were recorded at Studio 606 in Los Angeles, separate from the rest of the band's sessions at Full Sail University in Orlando.

**Where were the drums recorded for What the Dead Men Say?**
Alex Bent's drum tracks were recorded at Studio 606 in Los Angeles, California — the studio built by Dave Grohl and best known as a Foo Fighters recording base. The rest of the album was tracked at Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, with producer Josh Wilbur.

**How did the COVID-19 pandemic affect the album's release?**
What the Dead Men Say was released April 24, 2020, just as the first wave of COVID-19 lockdowns shut down live music worldwide. Trivium was unable to tour behind the album as they normally would have, instead promoting it through livestream performances and press. The album still debuted at #35 on the Billboard 200.

**How does What the Dead Men Say compare to The Sin and the Sentence?**
What the Dead Men Say (2020) leans further into progressive song structures than The Sin and the Sentence (2017), opening with the instrumental "IX" and featuring more dynamically varied tracks alongside direct, aggressive cuts like "Catastrophist." Alex Bent's gear stayed essentially identical between the two albums, but his playing shows more dynamic range and restraint.

## Related Albums

- [The Sin and the Sentence drum setup](/articles/trivium-sin-and-the-sentence-drum-setup) — 2017, Alex Bent's Trivium debut
- [In the Court of the Dragon drum setup](/articles/trivium-in-the-court-of-the-dragon-drum-setup) — 2021, the UK top-5 record that followed
- [Alex Bent kit profile](/articles/whats-in-alex-bents-kit) — complete career gear overview

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/trivium-what-the-dead-men-say-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*