---
name: "Sean Reinert"
band: "Death / Cynic"
genre: "Progressive Death Metal / Technical Death Metal"
country: "USA"
primary_brand: "Tama"
profile_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummer/sean-reinert"
source: "https://metalforge.io"
last_updated: "2026-07-10"
---

# Sean Reinert — Drum Kit & Gear Setup

Sean Reinert's drum kit and gear setup. Sean Reinert is a professional metal drummer best known for their work with Death / Cynic, a defining act in progressive death metal / technical death metal.

## Quick Facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Sean Reinert |
| Band | Death / Cynic |
| All bands | Cynic, Death |
| Genre | Progressive Death Metal / Technical Death Metal |
| Country | USA |
| Primary brand | Tama |
| Drum kit | Tama Artstar II |
| Signature snare | Tama Artstar II Birch 14x5.5" |
| Sticks | Vic Firth American Classic 5A |

## Biography

Sean Reinert (May 27, 1971 – January 24, 2020) was an American drummer who co-founded progressive death metal band Cynic in 1987 and recorded Death's genre-defining Human (1991) before returning full-time to Cynic for Focus (1993). His jazz-informed, polyrhythmic style is widely credited with pioneering progressive death metal drumming.

Sean Reinert (January 23, 1971 – January 24, 2020) was an American drummer widely regarded as one of the most innovative and influential musicians in extreme metal history. He is best known for his drumming on Death's landmark 1991 album Human, recorded at Morrisound Recording with producer Scott Burns when Reinert was just 20 years old, and on Cynic's Focus (1993), the band he co-founded with guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal in Miami, Florida.

Reinert brought a jazz-trained musical vocabulary into death metal at a moment when the genre was defined almost entirely by blast-beat velocity. His ghost notes, dynamic control, and polymetric phrasing on Human are widely credited as the birth of progressive death metal — proof that extreme metal drumming could be both punishing and genuinely musical. Reinert passed away on January 24, 2020, one day after his 49th birthday, leaving behind a body of work that remains a touchstone for technical and progressive death metal drummers.

## Band History

- **Cynic** — 1987–1994, 2006–2015
- **Death** — 1989–1991

## Gear

- **Drums:** Tama Artstar II
- **Snare:** Tama Artstar II Birch 14x5.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian A/K Series (14" A Quick Beat Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" A Crashes, 20" K Custom Dry Ride, 16" China, 10" A Splash)
- **Hardware:** DW 5000 Double Pedal
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 / Ambassador

## Notable Performances

- Sean Reinert's Drum Cam: Last Live with Cynic Playing "Veil of Maya" (2015)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What albums did Sean Reinert play drums on?**

A: Sean Reinert's best-known recordings are Death's Human (1991) and Cynic's Focus (1993), plus Gordian Knot's Emergent (1999) and Cynic's reunion album Traced in Air (2008).

**Q: What drum kit did Sean Reinert use on Human?**

A: Sean Reinert played a DW Collector's Series maple shell kit with a 14"x5.5" maple snare, Zildjian A Series cymbals, and a DW 5000 double pedal on Death's Human.

**Q: Did Sean Reinert play jazz before death metal?**

A: Yes. Reinert had classical and jazz training that directly shaped his ghost notes, dynamic control, and polyrhythmic phrasing, which he brought into Death and Cynic.

**Q: When did Sean Reinert co-found Cynic?**

A: Sean Reinert co-founded Cynic in 1987 with guitarist/vocalist Paul Masvidal in Miami, Florida, before joining Death in 1990.

**Q: When did Sean Reinert die?**

A: Sean Reinert passed away on January 24, 2020, one day after his 49th birthday.

## Signature Licks on MetalForge

MetalForge has 3 signature lick tutorial(s) for Sean Reinert:

- [Lack of Comprehension Polyrhythm](https://metalforge.io/drummers/sean-reinert/licks/sean-reinert-lack-of-comprehension-polyrhythm)
- [Suicide Machine Groove Pattern](https://metalforge.io/drummers/sean-reinert/licks/sean-reinert-suicide-machine-groove-pattern)
- [Flattening of Emotions Main Beat](https://metalforge.io/drummers/sean-reinert/licks/sean-reinert-flattening-of-emotions-main-beat)

Each lick page includes a video demonstration, HowTo breakdown, and gear notes.

---

**Full interactive profile:** [Sean Reinert on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/sean-reinert)

**More LLM resources:** [Site index](https://metalforge.io/llms.txt) · [Full database](https://metalforge.io/llms-full.txt) · [Drummer markdown index](https://metalforge.io/llms/index.md)

*Last updated: 2026-07-10 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*