# Best Cymbals for Black Metal — MetalForge **Guide URL:** https://metalforge.io/guides/best-cymbals-for-black-metal ## Who This Guide Is For Black metal drummers who want to know which cymbals cut through raw, lo-fi production — and what Hellhammer (Mayhem), Inferno (Behemoth), Daray (Dimmu Borgir/Vader), and Frost (Satyricon/1349) actually play. Covers Paiste RUDE vs Zildjian A Custom & K, china cymbals, and clear recommendations from budget to pro. --- ## Why Black Metal Cymbals Need to Cut Through Raw Production Black metal cymbal selection faces a contradiction other metal subgenres don't: the genre's raw, often deliberately lo-fi production aesthetic demands cymbals that cut through anyway. Icy tremolo-picked guitars and buried, trebly mixes swallow anything that isn't aggressively voiced, so black metal drummers gravitate toward explosive, cutting cymbal lines rather than the dark, complex tones progressive or doom metal favors. Hellhammer of Mayhem built the genre's foundational cymbal sound on Paiste RUDE Series cymbals — raw, brutal, and immediate, exactly what "De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas" needed to punch through the album's infamously harsh mix. Inferno of Behemoth extends that Paiste RUDE lineage with a 24" Mega Power Ride and dedicated Blast China. Daray of Dimmu Borgir and Vader combines Paiste RUDE with the 2002 Series. Frost of Satyricon and 1349 stands apart, building his kit around Zildjian A Custom and K Series cymbals for a more articulate, precisely controlled attack. --- ## Recommended Cymbals for Black Metal ### 1. Paiste RUDE Series — Best Overall - **Alloy:** CuSn8 Bronze (Unlathed, Raw) - **Price range:** €150–€350 per cymbal - **Best for:** Black metal, blackened death metal, raw/lo-fi extreme metal **Who uses it:** - **Hellhammer** ([/drummer/hellhammer](https://metalforge.io/drummer/hellhammer)) — Primary cymbal setup since the late 1980s; foundational black metal tone on De Mysteriis Dom Sathanas - **Inferno** ([/drummer/inferno](https://metalforge.io/drummer/inferno)) — 24" Mega Power Ride and Blast China for modern black/death precision - **Daray** ([/drummer/daray](https://metalforge.io/drummer/daray)) — RUDE crashes and hi-hats cutting through symphonic black metal arrangements The completely unlathed CuSn8 bronze surface produces a trashy, immediate crash with none of the complex overtone development a polished, lathed cymbal delivers — exactly what black metal's harsh, lo-fi production aesthetic calls for. --- ### 2. Zildjian A Custom & K Series — Best for Technical Black Metal - **Alloy:** B20 Bronze - **Price range:** €180–€420 per cymbal - **Best for:** Technical/Nordic black metal, blast-heavy precision playing **Who uses it:** - **Frost** ([/drummer/frost](https://metalforge.io/drummer/frost)) — Satyricon / 1349; A Custom crashes and hi-hats plus K Custom Dark Ride and K China Frost's brilliant-finish A Custom crashes (16", 17", 18") deliver a faster, more focused attack than raw alternatives. A 22" K Custom Dark Ride anchors his setup with dark, controlled definition rather than pure wash, letting his ride patterns stay articulate at hyperspeed tempos. --- ### 3. Paiste 2002 Series — Best for Symphonic Black Metal - **Alloy:** CuSn8 Bronze - **Price range:** €120–€280 per cymbal - **Best for:** Symphonic/technical black metal, mixed setups alongside RUDE **Who uses it:** - **Daray** ([/drummer/daray](https://metalforge.io/drummer/daray)) — 2002 Series alongside RUDE cymbals for Dimmu Borgir's symphonic black metal sound The lathed CuSn8 bronze construction gives 2002 cymbals more overtone control than the completely raw RUDE line while retaining Paiste's characteristic cutting brightness. --- ### 4. Sabian AAX Series — Best Alternative - **Alloy:** B20 Bronze - **Price range:** €140–€320 per cymbal - **Best for:** Black metal drummers seeking a Paiste/Zildjian alternative A widely used alternative for drummers who want a bright, cutting, explosive cymbal voice without committing to Paiste or Zildjian's specific black metal lineages, at generally more accessible pricing. --- ## Paiste RUDE vs Zildjian A Custom & K for Black Metal **Paiste RUDE (Hellhammer, Inferno, Daray):** - Raw, unlathed, explosive character - The historically dominant black metal cymbal choice - Best for: Traditional, lo-fi, and symphonic black metal alike **Zildjian A Custom & K Series (Frost):** - Brighter, more articulate, more controlled - Better for technical, blast-heavy, precision-focused black metal - More versatile outside pure black metal contexts **Verdict:** Three of black metal's most influential drummers — Hellhammer, Inferno, and Daray — built their sound on Paiste RUDE's raw aggression. Frost proves the opposite approach also works at the highest level, trading rawness for articulate control. Start with Paiste RUDE for the classic sound, or Zildjian A Custom & K if your playing is more technical. --- ## FAQ **What cymbals does Hellhammer use?** Hellhammer of Mayhem uses Paiste RUDE Series cymbals — 14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" and 19" RUDE Crashes, a 20" RUDE Ride, and an 18" RUDE China. **What cymbals does Frost use?** Frost of Satyricon and 1349 uses Zildjian A Custom and K Series cymbals — 14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 16", 17", and 18" A Custom Crashes, a 22" K Custom Dark Ride, and an 18" K China. **Paiste RUDE vs Zildjian A Custom — which is better for black metal?** Both work at the highest level. RUDE suits traditional, raw, lo-fi black metal; A Custom & K suits technical, blast-heavy precision playing like Frost's. **What china cymbal is best for black metal?** An 18" china is the black metal standard for brutal, immediate punctuation — used by Hellhammer, Inferno, and Frost. Inferno also adds a smaller 14" Blast China for ultra-fast accent hits. **Do I need expensive cymbals to play black metal?** No — Paiste PST 8 approximates the RUDE Series' cutting brightness, and Zildjian ZBT approximates the A Custom family's character, both at a fraction of the professional price. **What size hi-hats do black metal drummers use?** 14" is the universal black metal hi-hat standard — Hellhammer, Inferno, Daray, and Frost all use 14" hi-hats. --- ## Related Guides - [Best Drum Kits for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-kits-for-black-metal) - [Best Hi-Hats for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-hi-hats-for-black-metal) - [Best Drum Pedals for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-pedals-for-black-metal) - [Best Snare Drums for Black Metal](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-snare-drums-for-black-metal)