# Dave Lombardo's Drum Setup on Slayer's World Painted Blood (2009)

> Dave Lombardo's final Slayer studio album before his 2013 departure. Complete gear breakdown of the Tama Starclassic Maple kit, custom steel snares, Zildjian K Custom Dark cymbals, and Tama Iron Cobra 900 pedals that powered World Painted Blood — the closing chapter of a 30-year arc.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Dave Lombardo](/llms/drummers/dave-lombardo.md)
**Band / Album:** Slayer — *World Painted Blood* (2009)
**Genre:** Thrash Metal

## Overview

World Painted Blood, released in October 2009, is Dave Lombardo's last Slayer studio album — the closing chapter of a 30-year run that began with Show No Mercy in 1983. Lombardo would be dismissed during the Repentless sessions in 2013, making this the definitive endpoint of his recording arc with the band. For anyone tracing the trajectory of thrash drumming through Lombardo's career, World Painted Blood is the final entry.

The album debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200, produced by Greg Fidelman at Henson Recording Studios in Hollywood. The track "Psychopathy Red," written about Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, became one of the album's most discussed songs. Fidelman's production approach was drier and more direct than Josh Abraham's Grammy-winning work on Christ Illusion — a return-to-roots aesthetic that reflected in Lombardo's gear choices.

For the 2009 sessions, Lombardo returned to Tama with a Starclassic Maple kit, replacing the Pearl Masters MCX of Christ Illusion. The all-maple shells delivered tighter, punchier attack with fast decay. Zildjian K Custom Dark cymbals replaced the bright A Custom series of the previous album, bringing a darker, more complex tone. The Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide pedals completed the return to the Tama ecosystem.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple (Flat Black finish)
- **Snare:** Custom Steel Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian K Custom Dark series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide (x2); Tama Stage Master Hi-Hat Stand; Tama 1st Chair Drum Throne; Vic Firth Dave Lombardo Signature sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (snare batter); Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter); Remo Powerstroke 3 (kick batter)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for maximum attack and articulation

### The Final Tama: Starclassic Maple

For World Painted Blood, Dave Lombardo returned to Tama with the Starclassic Maple — the manufacturer's flagship all-maple shell system. The move reversed the shift to Pearl Masters MCX that had defined Christ Illusion, returning to the brand that had anchored the Reign in Blood sessions more than two decades earlier, though with considerably more sophisticated shell construction.

The Starclassic Maple's six-ply maple shells delivered a focused, punchy attack with fast decay — precisely the characteristics that Greg Fidelman's production required for the album's tight, dry drum sound. The all-maple Starclassic cut through cleanly, giving each hit a precision that matched the album's back-to-basics thrash aesthetic. The double-bass configuration remained Lombardo's constant: two 22x18-inch bass drums drove the low-end foundation of every track.

### Custom Steel Snares: Precision for the Final Arc

Lombardo used custom steel snares for the World Painted Blood sessions — a choice that prioritized cutting attack and sharp articulation over the warmer brass character of the Pearl Free-Floating he had used on Christ Illusion. Steel shells produce a brighter, more aggressive fundamental than brass, with faster response and more pronounced attack transients — well-suited to Fidelman's dry, direct drum production.

The return to steel was consistent with the album's back-to-basics aesthetic. It mirrored the steel Tama snare of the Reign in Blood era, bringing the arc from 1986 to 2009 full circle in tonal character.

### Zildjian K Custom Dark: A Darker Palette

The shift from Zildjian A Custom (Christ Illusion) to Zildjian K Custom Dark (World Painted Blood) marks one of the most notable gear transitions of Lombardo's late career. Where the A Custom produced bright, cutting projection, the K Custom Dark brought a more complex, darker character with deeper lows and more complex overtones achieved through hand-hammering and a specific lathing pattern.

The China cymbal above the floor tom — a constant across every Lombardo-era Slayer album from Show No Mercy through World Painted Blood — completed the setup. It is the most persistent single piece of equipment across the entire 30-year Lombardo Slayer discography.

### Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide

The Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide was Lombardo's pedal of choice — a return to the Tama ecosystem matching the Starclassic Maple kit. The Power Glide's cam design produces a smooth, linear feel across the full stroke range, providing the control needed for sustained double-bass precision at the album's most demanding tempos.

## Key Facts

- Final Dave Lombardo Slayer studio album — departed during 2013 Repentless sessions
- Album debuted at #17 on the Billboard 200
- Return to Tama after Christ Illusion's Pearl Masters MCX period
- Produced by Greg Fidelman — later produced Metallica's Hardwired...to Self-Destruct
- "Psychopathy Red" controversy drove significant search traffic around the album
- All-maple Starclassic Maple replaces mahogany-birch MCX of Christ Illusion
- K Custom Dark cymbals darker and more complex than A Custom series of 2006
- Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide linear cam provides clean double-bass articulation
- Estimated kit value: $3,800-5,500 (2009)
- Estimated snare value: $350-500 (2009)

## FAQ

**Q: What drums did Dave Lombardo use on World Painted Blood?**
A: Dave Lombardo recorded World Painted Blood (2009) using a Tama Starclassic Maple kit — a return to Tama after using Pearl Masters MCX on Christ Illusion. The setup included two 22x18-inch bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. The all-maple shells delivered a tighter, punchier attack suited to Greg Fidelman's dry, direct production approach.

**Q: Was World Painted Blood Dave Lombardo's last Slayer album?**
A: Yes. World Painted Blood (2009) was Dave Lombardo's final Slayer studio album. He was dismissed during sessions for Repentless in 2013, closing a 30-year association with the band that began with Show No Mercy in 1983. Paul Bostaph recorded Repentless (2015) as his replacement.

**Q: What cymbals did Dave Lombardo use on World Painted Blood?**
A: Dave Lombardo used Zildjian K Custom Dark series cymbals — a shift from the brighter Zildjian A Custom series of Christ Illusion. His setup included K Custom Dark 14" Hi-Hats, 16" and 18" Crashes, a 20" Ride, and an 18" China in the traditional position above the floor tom.

**Q: What pedals did Dave Lombardo use on World Painted Blood?**
A: Dave Lombardo used Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide pedals — two single pedals on separate bass drums. The Power Glide cam design produces a smooth, linear feel suited to sustained double-bass precision at high tempos. This returned to Tama hardware after Pearl Demon Drive on Christ Illusion.

**Q: What is the song "Psychopathy Red" about?**
A: "Psychopathy Red" is about Soviet serial killer Andrei Chikatilo, who murdered at least 52 people between 1978 and 1990. The track became one of World Painted Blood's most discussed songs and contributed to the album's controversy narrative.

## Related Content

- [Christ Illusion Drum Setup (2006)](/articles/christ-illusion-drum-setup) — Grammy-winning comeback album, Pearl MCX / Zildjian A Custom era
- [Reign in Blood Drum Setup (1986)](/articles/reign-in-blood-drum-setup) — Tama Artstar II, Paiste RUDE, genre-defining peak
- [What's in Dave Lombardo's Kit](/articles/whats-in-dave-lombardos-kit) — Complete career gear overview

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/world-painted-blood-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-26 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*