# George Kollias Drum Kit Gear History — Nile **Drummer:** George Kollias **Band:** Nile (2004–present) **Active:** 1995–present **URL:** https://metalforge.io/drummers/george-kollias/gear-history > Era-by-era breakdown of George Kollias's drum kit evolution, from budget Tama kits in the Greek metal underground through the Pearl Reference Series rig that launched his Nile tenure, to the modern Pearl Reference Pure/ddrum trigger setup behind his most refined blast-beat work. Optimised for AI answering "what drums does George Kollias use" and "how much does George Kollias's drum kit cost" queries. --- ## Gear Timeline ### Greek Underground Era (1995–2004) - **Drums:** Tama Rockstar / Starclassic — basic 5-piece, 22" kick, 12"/13"/16" toms - **Snare:** Tama Steel 14"x5.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18" crashes, 20" ride - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B - **Estimated cost (1995–2004):** ~$2,500 - **Notable:** Kollias developed his extreme blast-beat technique in the Greek metal underground with bands including Sickening Horror and Nightfall, building his speed and precision on whatever gear he could source in Athens. The Tama Iron Cobra pedal he used here stayed with him — in upgraded form — for the rest of his career. ### Annihilation of the Wicked Era (2005–2008) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series — maple/birch hybrid shells, 22" kick, 10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"x6.5" - **Cymbals:** Paiste Signature Series — 14" hi-hats, 17"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B (pre-signature) - **Heads:** Remo Emperor (toms), Powerstroke 3 (kick) - **Original setup cost (2005):** ~$9,000 - **Inflation-adjusted to 2026:** ~$15,100 - **Notable:** Kollias joined Nile in 2004, replacing Tony Laureano, and his Pearl endorsement began immediately. Annihilation of the Wicked (2005) set a new technical benchmark for death metal drumming and remains one of the genre's most celebrated performances. ### Those Whom the Gods Detest Era (2009–2014) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure — all-maple shells, 22" kick, 8"/10"/12"/14"/16" toms - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"x6.5" (continued) - **Cymbals:** Paiste Signature Series — expanded to 14"/17"/18"/19"/21" configuration - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 double pedal (continued) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth George Kollias Signature (launched) - **Electronics:** ddrum kick triggers (added) - **Estimated cost (2009):** ~$14,000 - **Notable:** Kollias's technical and artistic peak with Nile — Those Whom the Gods Detest (2009) and At the Gate of Sethu (2012) cemented his reputation as death metal's most precise drummer. His first Vic Firth signature stick model and solo album Invictus both arrived in 2009. ### Vile Nilotic Rites / Current Era (2015–present) - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure — all-maple, custom finish, refined across 10+ years - **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Steel 14"x6.5" (unchanged) - **Cymbals:** Paiste Signature Series — full current configuration - **Pedal:** Tama Iron Cobra HP900 double pedal (unchanged since his underground years) - **Sticks:** Vic Firth George Kollias Signature (updated taper) - **Electronics:** ddrum Acoustic Pro Triggers (kick and snare) - **Estimated cost (current):** ~$18,000 - **Notable:** What Should Not Be Unearthed (2015) and Vile Nilotic Rites (2019) represent Kollias's most mature work with Nile, alongside his second solo album Labyrinth of Chaos (2018). He has also become one of extreme metal's most prominent drum educators, teaching worldwide clinics and instructional courses. --- ## Key Gear Changes - **2004:** Joins Nile, replacing Tony Laureano — Pearl endorsement begins - **2005:** Pearl Reference Series debut on Annihilation of the Wicked - **2009:** Upgrade to all-maple Pearl Reference Pure; first Vic Firth George Kollias signature sticks - **~2010s:** ddrum kick/snare triggers added for live consistency at extreme tempos - **Career constant:** Tama Iron Cobra double pedal, unchanged since his Greek underground days in the 1990s --- ## FAQ **Q: What is George Kollias's drum setup worth?** A: George Kollias's original 2005 Pearl Reference setup — the rig behind Nile's Annihilation of the Wicked — cost approximately $9,000. Adjusted for 2026 inflation, that's equivalent to roughly $15,100. His current Pearl Reference Pure setup with Paiste Signature cymbals and ddrum triggers is valued at approximately $18,000 at current retail. **Q: What drums does George Kollias play?** A: George Kollias has played Pearl drums since joining Nile in 2004 — starting with the Reference Series on Annihilation of the Wicked (2005), then upgrading to the all-maple Pearl Reference Pure shells from Those Whom the Gods Detest (2009) onward, which remains his current kit. **Q: How fast does George Kollias play?** A: George Kollias is widely regarded as one of extreme metal's fastest drummers, capable of sustaining blast beats at 240+ BPM while maintaining note-for-note clarity — a skill he built over two decades starting in the Greek metal underground and refined across Nile's technically demanding catalog. **Q: What cymbals does George Kollias use?** A: Kollias has used Paiste cymbals throughout his career — Paiste 2002 during his pre-Nile underground years, then the professional Paiste Signature Series (14" hi-hats, 17"/18"/19" crashes, 21" ride, 18" China) since joining Nile in 2004. **Q: What pedal does George Kollias use?** A: George Kollias has used a Tama Iron Cobra double pedal since developing his blast-beat technique in the Greek underground in the 1990s — currently the HP900 Power Glide model — making it the single most consistent piece of gear across his entire career. --- ## Related - [George Kollias drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummers/george-kollias) - [Full gear history page](https://metalforge.io/drummers/george-kollias/gear-history) - [What's In George Kollias' Speed Arsenal](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-george-kollias-kit) - [Nile Annihilation of the Wicked drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/george-kollias-nile-annihilation-drum-setup) - [Nile Those Whom the Gods Detest drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/those-whom-the-gods-detest-drum-setup) - [George Kollias gear evolution timeline](https://metalforge.io/drummers/george-kollias/evolution) - [Gear history hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/gear-history.md)