--- name: "Paul Bostaph" band: "Slayer" page_type: "gear_evolution" profile_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummer/paul-bostaph" evolution_url: "https://metalforge.io/drummers/paul-bostaph/evolution" source: "https://metalforge.io" last_updated: "2026-07-02" --- # Paul Bostaph Drum Kit Evolution — Complete Timeline Paul Bostaph is Slayer's longest-serving drummer by total years, filling Dave Lombardo's chair across two separate tenures (1992–2001, 2013–2019) and recording four studio albums. Between and around those Slayer stints he built a parallel Bay Area thrash career with Forbidden, Testament, and Exodus. This timeline documents his complete gear evolution from an early Tama/Paiste Slayer rig through a mid-career DW-to-Tama switch on Diabolus in Musica and God Hates Us All, a Pacific Drums interim during his Exodus/Testament years, and a Pearl/Sabian return-era rig on Repentless — into his current ddrum-based setup. See also: [Paul Bostaph drum setup guide](/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-paul-bostaph.md) --- ## Forbidden & First Slayer Tenure (1987–1996) **Albums:** Forbidden – Twisted Into Form (1990), Slayer – Divine Intervention (1994), Slayer – Undisputed Attitude (1996) **Tours:** Divine Intervention World Tour 1994–1995, Undisputed Attitude Tour 1996 Bostaph came up through the Bay Area thrash scene with Forbidden, recording the thrash classic Twisted Into Form (1990), before his 1992 recruitment to Slayer to fill Dave Lombardo's vacated chair. He recorded Divine Intervention (1994) and Undisputed Attitude (1996), continuing the Tama/Paiste sound Slayer had used since the Lombardo era. - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple — all-maple shells, double 22"x18" kicks, 2 rack/2 floor toms - **Snare:** Tama Bell Brass 14"x6.5" — brass shell, fat crack - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China - **Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra Double Pedal *(new — adopted in 1994, the year of its release)* - **Sticks:** Pro-Mark Hickory 5B - **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 (kicks), Emperor Coated (toms) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$3,200 **Key developments:** - Recorded Forbidden's Twisted Into Form (1990) before joining Slayer - Joined Slayer in 1992, filling Dave Lombardo's vacated chair - Recorded Divine Intervention (1994) and Undisputed Attitude (1996) - Adopted the newly released Tama Iron Cobra double pedal in 1994 > "Coming into Slayer after Dave wasn't about replacing him — it was about proving the songs could still hit as hard with someone else behind the kit." — *RIP Magazine Interview, 1994* --- ## Diabolus in Musica to God Hates Us All Era (1998–2001) **Albums:** Slayer – Diabolus in Musica (1998), Slayer – God Hates Us All (2001) **Tours:** Diabolus in Musica Tour 1998–1999, God Hates Us All Tour 2001–2002 Diabolus in Musica (1998) brought a full switch to DW and Zildjian for Slayer's controversial down-tuned, groove-leaning record. By God Hates Us All (2001) — released the morning of 9/11 and closing Bostaph's first Slayer tenure — he had switched back to Tama Starclassic Maple and Paiste, recorded with producer Matt Hyde at The Warehouse Studio in Vancouver. - **Drums:** DW Collector's Series (Diabolus in Musica) → Tama Starclassic Maple, double 22"x18" kicks (God Hates Us All) *(switch — full brand change to DW, then back to Tama)* - **Snare:** DW Edge Series → Tama Bell Brass/Steel 14"x6.5" *(switch — tracked the drum kit change)* - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom → Paiste 2002/Signature, adding a Paiste Signature 22" Power Ride for God Hates Us All *(switch)* - **Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra Double Pedal — retained through both albums (unchanged) - **Sticks:** Pro-Mark Hickory 5B (unchanged) - **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 (kicks), Emperor Coated (snare batter) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$3,800 **Key developments:** - Full switch to DW Collector's Series and Zildjian A Custom for Diabolus in Musica (1998) - Switched back to Tama Starclassic Maple and Paiste 2002/Signature for God Hates Us All (2001) - God Hates Us All released the morning of September 11, 2001, closing Bostaph's first Slayer tenure > "Diabolus was us pushing into territory people didn't expect from Slayer. The DW kit gave me a different low end to build that on." — *Drum! Magazine Interview, 1998* --- ## Exodus & Testament Interim (2005–2012) **Albums:** Exodus – Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005), Testament – The Formation of Damnation (2008) **Tours:** Exodus Tour 2005–2007, Formation of Damnation World Tour 2008–2009 With Dave Lombardo back in Slayer's chair, Bostaph spent the 2000s across the Bay Area thrash scene — joining Exodus for Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) before stepping in for Testament's comeback album The Formation of Damnation (2008), recorded on a Pacific Drums LX Maple kit at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley. - **Drums:** Pacific Drums LX Maple — maple shells, double 22"x18" kicks *(switch — a gear chapter distinct from any Slayer-era kit)* - **Snare:** DW Edge Series 14"x6.5" — carried over from the Diabolus in Musica years - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 / RUDE Series — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China *(switch — return to Paiste)* - **Hardware:** DW 5000 Series Double Pedal, chain-drive *(switch)* - **Sticks:** Pro-Mark Hickory 5B (unchanged) - **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 (kicks), Emperor Coated (toms) - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$4,200 **Key developments:** - Joined Exodus for Shovel Headed Kill Machine (2005) - Stepped in for Testament's The Formation of Damnation (2008) after drummer Nick Barker's visa issues - The Formation of Damnation won Metal Hammer's Golden Gods Best Album award (2008) - Recorded on a Pacific Drums LX Maple kit — a gear chapter distinct from any Slayer-era setup > "Chuck asked me to play the way I approached the Exodus record — restrained, in service of the songs, without overplaying." — *Blabbermouth Interview, 2008* --- ## Slayer Return, Repentless & Present (2013–Present) **Albums:** Slayer – Repentless (2015) **Tours:** Slayer Final World Tour 2018–2019, Testament Touring 2024–Present Bostaph rejoined Slayer in 2013 after Dave Lombardo's second and final departure, recording Repentless (2015) — Slayer's twelfth and final studio album — on a Pearl Masters Maple Complete kit with Sabian AAX cymbals. He played every date of Slayer's Final World Tour, including the band's last-ever show at the Forum in Los Angeles in 2019, before moving into session and touring work on a modern ddrum-based setup and rejoining Testament in 2024. - **Drums:** Pearl Masters Maple Complete (MCX) — all-maple, SST tom suspension, double 22"x18" kicks *(switch — a step away from the Tama and DW shells of earlier chapters)* - **Snare:** Pearl Masters Steel 14"x6.5" *(switch)* - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX Series (Repentless) → Zildjian A Custom (current) *(switch — first new cymbal brand since God Hates Us All, then a later move to Zildjian)* - **Hardware:** ddrum Mercury Double Pedal — current touring pedal *(switch)* - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B *(switch after decades on Pro-Mark)* - **Heads:** Evans drumheads — current setup *(switch from a career-long Remo setup)* - **Estimated kit cost (original):** ~$4,500 **Key developments:** - Rejoined Slayer in 2013 after Dave Lombardo's second departure - Repentless (2015) debuted at #4 on the Billboard 200 — Slayer's highest US chart position ever - Played Slayer's final-ever show at the Forum, Los Angeles, on November 30, 2019 - Current setup built around a ddrum Paladin Series kit, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks - Rejoined Testament in 2024 > "Playing that last show at the Forum, I understood what those songs had meant to three decades of people who'd never see them played live again." — *Rolling Stone Interview, 2019* --- ## Career Cost Overview | Era | Years | Kit Cost (Original) | Inflation-Adjusted | |---|---|---|---| | Forbidden & First Slayer Tenure | 1987–1996 | $3,200 | ~$6,800 | | Diabolus in Musica to God Hates Us All Era | 1998–2001 | $3,800 | ~$6,900 | | Exodus & Testament Interim | 2005–2012 | $4,200 | ~$5,900 | | Slayer Return, Repentless & Present | 2013–present | $4,500 | ~$5,200 | --- ## Gear Brand Partnerships Timeline - **Tama Starclassic Maple** — 1992–1996 and 2001 (bookends of his first Slayer tenure, split by the 1998 DW detour) - **DW Collector's Series** — 1998 (Diabolus in Musica), 2005–2012 (DW Edge snare and 5000 pedal carried through Exodus/Testament) - **Pacific Drums LX Maple** — 2008 (Testament's Formation of Damnation) - **Pearl Masters Maple Complete** — 2013–2019 (Slayer's return-era Repentless and Final World Tour) - **ddrum Paladin Series** — 2019–present (current touring and session rig) - **Paiste 2002 / Signature / RUDE** — 1992–1996, 2001, and 2005–2012 (Slayer's signature cymbal sound, interrupted only by the 1998 Zildjian detour) - **Sabian AAX → Zildjian A Custom** — 2013–present (Repentless-era Sabian, later a move to Zildjian for his current setup) - **Tama Iron Cobra double pedal** — 1994–2001 (his entire first Slayer tenure) --- ## FAQ **Q: Who replaced Dave Lombardo in Slayer?** A: Paul Bostaph replaced Dave Lombardo in Slayer in 1992, recording four studio albums — Divine Intervention (1994), Undisputed Attitude (1996), Diabolus in Musica (1998), and Repentless (2015) — across two separate tenures (1992–2001 and 2013–2019). **Q: Did Slayer have other drummers besides Dave Lombardo?** A: Yes — Paul Bostaph is Slayer's longest-serving drummer by total years, filling in for Dave Lombardo from 1992–2001 and again from 2013–2019, including the band's entire Final World Tour and last-ever show at the Forum in Los Angeles in 2019. **Q: What drum kit did Paul Bostaph use on Repentless?** A: On Repentless (2015), Slayer's twelfth and final studio album, Paul Bostaph played a Pearl Masters Maple Complete kit with a Pearl Masters steel snare and Sabian AAX cymbals, recorded with producer Terry Date at Henson Recording Studios in Los Angeles. **Q: What bands has Paul Bostaph played in besides Slayer?** A: Beyond Slayer, Paul Bostaph has played with Forbidden (1987–1989), Testament (1999–2001 and 2024–present), and Exodus (2005–2007), recording Testament's The Formation of Damnation (2008) on a Pacific Drums LX Maple kit. **Q: What is Paul Bostaph's current drum setup?** A: Paul Bostaph's current setup is built around a ddrum Paladin Series kit with a ddrum Paladin 14"x6.5" maple snare, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, a ddrum Mercury double pedal, and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. --- ## Related Pages - [What's In Paul Bostaph's Slayer Arsenal](/llms/articles/whats-in-paul-bostaphs-kit.md) - [How to Sound Like Paul Bostaph](/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-paul-bostaph.md) - [Paul Bostaph Licks & Patterns](/llms/licks/paul-bostaph.md) - [Paul Bostaph vs Jon Dette](/llms/vs/paul-bostaph-vs-jon-dette.md) - [Dirk Verbeuren vs Paul Bostaph Comparison](/llms/comparisons/dirk-verbeuren-vs-paul-bostaph.md) - [Metal Drumming Facts & Stats](/llms/facts.md)