# Best Hi-Hats for Deathcore: 2026 Ultimate Guide > What hi-hats are used in deathcore? Discover what Chris Turner (Meinl Byzance Dual), Isaac Lamb (Meinl Classics Custom Dark), Ben Koller (Zildjian K Dark), and George Kollias (Zildjian K Mastersound) actually play — blast-beat-durable hi-hats built for deathcore's blast-into-breakdown structure, from budget to pro. **Guide URL:** [https://metalforge.io/guides/best-hi-hats-for-deathcore](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-hi-hats-for-deathcore) **Last Updated:** 2026-07-07 --- ## What Hi-Hats Are Used in Deathcore? Deathcore fuses death metal's blast beats and technical brutality with metalcore and hardcore's chugging, half-time breakdown pocket — and that split identity puts unusual demands on a hi-hat. A single song can alternate between extreme-speed blast-beat verses, where the hi-hat needs to stay articulate and durable at 240+ BPM, and slower, syncopated breakdown sections built for moshing, where a dry, controlled chick needs to land with maximum weight rather than washing out. Chris Turner of Oceans Ate Alaska brings progressive metalcore's polyrhythmic precision to deathcore-adjacent territory on 15" Dual Hi-Hats from the Meinl Byzance Series, part of a broader setup engineered for the technical, blast-beat-driven fills documented on Oceans Ate Alaska's "Hikari" (2017). Isaac Lamb of Kublai Khan TX represents the breakdown-first end of deathcore's hardcore lineage on Meinl Classics Custom Dark hi-hats, built for crushing, moshable breakdown weight. Ben Koller of Converge and Mutoid Man brings hardcore punk and mathcore's blistering speed and dynamic range on Zildjian K Dark hi-hats. George Kollias of Nile — whose documented 240+ BPM blast beats set the extreme-speed benchmark deathcore's blast sections measure themselves against — rounds out the lineup on 14" Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats, voiced specifically for dry, cutting articulation at sustained high-speed patterns. This guide breaks down what makes a great deathcore hi-hat — blast-beat durability, breakdown weight, and dynamic range — and which specific models these four influential drummers rely on, from budget starter pairs to the professional setups behind deathcore's most punishing records. **Key Points:** - Chris Turner's 15" Meinl Byzance Dual Hi-Hats bring progressive metalcore's polyrhythmic precision to deathcore's blast-beat fills - George Kollias's 14" Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats are voiced specifically for dry, cutting articulation at sustained high-speed blast patterns - Isaac Lamb's dark-voiced Meinl Classics Custom Dark hi-hats show the breakdown-first, hardcore side of deathcore's hi-hat demands - Every featured setup prioritizes durability — deathcore's blast-into-breakdown structure punishes hi-hats over a full set --- ## What Makes a Great Deathcore Hi-Hat? ### ⚡ Articulation at Blast-Beat Tempo Deathcore's blast-beat verses demand hi-hats that stay defined at extreme tempo. George Kollias's 14" K Mastersound Hi-Hats are voiced specifically for dry, cutting articulation at sustained high-speed patterns, setting the extreme-speed benchmark deathcore's fastest sections measure themselves against. **Recommendation:** Dry-voiced 14"-15" hi-hats for defined articulation at blast-beat tempos ### 🌫️ Dry, Controlled Voicing for Breakdowns Deathcore's chugging, half-time breakdown sections need hi-hats that don't wash into a wall of sustain. Isaac Lamb's Meinl Classics Custom Dark hi-hats are voiced with minimal ring, staying controlled through crushing, syncopated breakdown passages. **Recommendation:** Dark or Extra Dry-voiced hi-hats for controlled, low-sustain breakdown weight ### 📏 Diameter Chris Turner's 15" Dual Hi-Hats give extra surface area and control compared to the more common 14" size, useful for the technical, blast-beat-driven fills that define much of Oceans Ate Alaska's rhythmic vocabulary. **Recommendation:** 14" for standard response and versatility; 15" for extra control on technical fill work ### ⚖️ Dynamic Range Across Blast-to-Breakdown Shifts A single deathcore song can swing from a 240+ BPM blast beat straight into a half-time breakdown within seconds. Ben Koller's Zildjian K Dark hi-hats stay articulate at extreme speed while still delivering the dynamic range and weight breakdown sections demand. **Recommendation:** Medium weight hi-hats that respond cleanly across both blast-beat and breakdown extremes ### 🛡️ Touring Durability Deathcore's relentless touring schedule and blast-into-breakdown structure puts sustained, punishing stress on hi-hats. Thick B20 bronze construction survives repeated high-speed and breakdown-level impact far better than thin, budget alternatives. **Recommendation:** B20 bronze for serious touring durability under blast-beat and breakdown stress alike --- ## Top Hi-Hats Used by Deathcore Legends ### 1. Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats — Zildjian **Model:** K Mastersound Hi-Hats 14" **Price range:** €300-400 per pair **Tier:** pro **Material:** B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.8/5 George Kollias of Nile plays 14" K Mastersound Hi-Hats from Zildjian, part of a broader setup that includes K Custom Dark and A Custom cymbals. Kollias's documented 240+ BPM blast beats set the extreme-speed benchmark deathcore's fastest blast sections measure themselves against, and the K Mastersound's dry, focused voicing is engineered specifically to stay articulate at that tempo. Where a washier hi-hat would blur into noise at sustained blast-beat speed, the K Mastersound's tight, cutting response keeps every stroke defined — exactly the durability and clarity deathcore's blast-verse sections demand. **Pros:** - George Kollias's Nile setup — the extreme-speed benchmark for deathcore's blast sections - Dry, focused voicing stays articulate at 240+ BPM sustained blast beats - Tight, cutting response prevents blur at extreme tempo - Proven across Nile's technical death metal catalog - Premium B20 bronze construction **Cons:** - Dry voicing has less natural sustain than brighter alternatives - Higher price point - Less breakdown-weighted than Isaac Lamb's darker Classics Custom setup **Who uses it:** - George Kollias (Nile) — 14" K Mastersound Hi-Hats — extreme-speed blast-beat benchmark **Verdict:** The deathcore blast-beat standard. If you need hi-hats that stay defined at extreme tempo, this is it. ### 2. Meinl Byzance Dual Hi-Hats — Meinl **Model:** Byzance Dual Hi-Hats 15" **Price range:** €330-430 per pair **Tier:** pro **Material:** B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.6/5 Chris Turner of Oceans Ate Alaska brings progressive metalcore's polyrhythmic precision to deathcore-adjacent territory on 15" Dual Hi-Hats from the Meinl Byzance Series, part of a broader setup that also includes 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, a 22" Dual Ride, and an 18" Extra Dry China. The Dual Hi-Hats' blended bright-and-dark voicing gives Turner the technical, blast-beat-driven fill capability documented on Oceans Ate Alaska's "Hikari" (2017), while the larger 15" diameter adds extra control for the technical passages the album is known for. **Pros:** - Chris Turner's Oceans Ate Alaska setup — technical, blast-beat-driven precision - Dual voicing blends bright cut with dark control for versatile response - 15" diameter gives extra control on technical fill work - Proven on Oceans Ate Alaska's acclaimed "Hikari" (2017) **Cons:** - Higher price point - 15" diameter less common — fewer stand and case compatibility options - Less blast-beat-specialized than Kollias's K Mastersound **Who uses it:** - Chris Turner (Oceans Ate Alaska) — 15" Byzance Dual Hi-Hats — technical, blast-beat-driven precision **Verdict:** Best for technical, fill-heavy deathcore. Turner's setup blends versatility with real control. ### 3. Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats — Zildjian **Model:** K Dark Hi-Hats 14" **Price range:** €280-380 per pair **Tier:** pro **Material:** B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.5/5 Ben Koller of Converge and Mutoid Man brings hardcore punk and mathcore's blistering speed and dynamic range to his Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats setup. The K Dark's warm, complex overtones stay articulate through Converge's rapid tempo shifts and dynamic extremes, from blast-adjacent speed to sparse, atmospheric breakdowns. Koller's setup shows deathcore's hardcore and mathcore lineage in action — a hi-hat voice built for dynamic range and durability across genuinely unpredictable, tempo-shifting material rather than a single fixed tempo. **Pros:** - Ben Koller's Converge/Mutoid Man setup — hardcore and mathcore's dynamic range and speed - Warm K Dark overtones stay articulate across rapid tempo shifts - Durable enough for Converge's relentless touring schedule - Proven across decades of hardcore and mathcore-adjacent extremity **Cons:** - Warmer voicing less blast-beat-specialized than Kollias's K Mastersound - Higher price point - Less breakdown-weighted than Isaac Lamb's darker setup **Who uses it:** - Ben Koller (Converge) — 14" K Dark Hi-Hats — hardcore and mathcore dynamic range **Verdict:** Best for dynamically unpredictable, tempo-shifting deathcore. Koller's setup handles it all. ### 4. Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats — Meinl **Model:** Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats 14" **Price range:** €150-220 per pair **Tier:** budget **Material:** B8/B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.2/5 Isaac Lamb of Kublai Khan TX represents the breakdown-first end of deathcore's hardcore lineage on Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats, built for crushing, moshable breakdown weight rather than blast-beat articulation. Lamb's setup proves deathcore's hi-hat demands don't always mean chasing extreme-speed durability — for hardcore-leaning, breakdown-first deathcore, a dark, controlled, budget-accessible hi-hat can carry just as much impact as a premium blast-beat-specialized model. **Pros:** - Isaac Lamb's Kublai Khan TX setup — breakdown-first hardcore weight - Dark, controlled voicing built for crushing, moshable breakdowns - Accessible pricing versus flagship blast-beat setups - Clear proof-point that budget gear can serve deathcore's breakdown side **Cons:** - Not specialized for extreme-speed blast-beat articulation - B8 models within the line lack full B20 depth - Less versatile across blast-into-breakdown song structures **Who uses it:** - Isaac Lamb (Kublai Khan TX) — 14" Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats — breakdown-first hardcore weight **Verdict:** Best budget pick for breakdown-first deathcore. Real dark weight at an accessible price. --- ## Best Budget Hi-Hats for Deathcore You don't need K Mastersound or Byzance Dual pricing to start chasing deathcore's blast-into-breakdown hi-hat sound. These pairs deliver real performance at accessible prices. ### Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats — Meinl **Model:** Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats 14" **Price range:** €150-220 per pair **Tier:** budget **Material:** B8/B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.2/5 See above. Isaac Lamb's choice for crushing, moshable breakdown weight at an accessible price. **Pros:** - Dark, controlled tone for breakdown weight - Accessible pricing - Isaac Lamb's real-world setup **Cons:** - Not specialized for extreme-speed blast beats **Verdict:** Top budget pick for breakdown-first deathcore hi-hats. ### Sabian AAX Stage Hi-Hats — Sabian **Model:** AAX Stage Hi-Hats 14" **Price range:** €180-260 per pair **Tier:** mid **Material:** B20 Bronze **Rating:** 4.1/5 A reliable, widely available mid-tier step toward the brighter, blast-beat-articulate end of deathcore's hi-hat spectrum, closer to Kollias's K Mastersound voicing. **Pros:** - Bright, cutting B20 tone for blast-beat articulation - More accessible than K Mastersound - Reliable and widely available worldwide **Cons:** - Not tied to a specific deathcore legend's exact setup **Verdict:** Best budget step toward blast-beat-articulate deathcore hi-hats. --- ## Blast-Beat vs Breakdown Hi-Hats for Deathcore Deathcore's hi-hat choices split into two camps, defined by which half of the genre's blast-into-breakdown structure a drummer prioritizes: **Blast-Beat Articulate (Zildjian K Mastersound — George Kollias's choice; Meinl Byzance Dual — Chris Turner's choice):** - Dry, cutting voicing that stays defined at 240+ BPM - Suits technical, blast-beat-driven verses and fills - The extreme-speed benchmark deathcore's fastest sections measure against **Breakdown-Weighted (Meinl Classics Custom Dark — Isaac Lamb's choice; Zildjian K Dark — Ben Koller's choice):** - Dark, controlled voicing built for crushing, moshable weight - Suits hardcore-leaning, breakdown-first deathcore - Warmer overtones with more dynamic range across tempo shifts **Deathcore Verdict:** Choose blast-beat articulate (K Mastersound or Byzance Dual) if your material leans into Nile-style technical extremity. Choose breakdown-weighted (Classics Custom Dark or K Dark) if your material leans into Kublai Khan TX or Converge-style hardcore weight and dynamic range. | feature | birch | maple | | --- | --- | --- | | Blast-Beat Articulation | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | | Breakdown Weight | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | | Dynamic Range | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | | Touring Durability | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | | Price (entry) | €280+ | €150+ | --- ## Our Top Picks for Deathcore - **Best Overall:** Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats — George Kollias's extreme-speed benchmark — deathcore's most technically demanding blast-beat hi-hat sound. - **Best for Technical Fills:** Meinl Byzance Dual Hi-Hats — Chris Turner's 15" setup. Blended voicing for Oceans Ate Alaska's technical fill work. - **Best for Breakdown-First Deathcore:** Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats — Isaac Lamb's choice for crushing, moshable breakdown weight. - **Best for Dynamic Range:** Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats — Ben Koller's setup handles Converge's unpredictable, tempo-shifting material. --- ## FAQ **What hi-hats are used in deathcore?** George Kollias of Nile uses 14" Zildjian K Mastersound Hi-Hats for extreme-speed blast-beat articulation. Chris Turner of Oceans Ate Alaska uses 15" Meinl Byzance Dual Hi-Hats. Isaac Lamb of Kublai Khan TX uses Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats for breakdown weight. Ben Koller of Converge uses Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats for dynamic range. **What hi-hats does George Kollias use?** George Kollias of Nile plays 14" K Mastersound Hi-Hats from Zildjian, part of a broader setup that includes K Custom Dark and A Custom cymbals — chosen for their dry, cutting articulation at his documented 240+ BPM blast-beat tempos. **What size hi-hats for deathcore?** 14" is the standard deathcore hi-hat size, used by George Kollias, Isaac Lamb, and Ben Koller. Chris Turner prefers 15" for extra surface area and control on Oceans Ate Alaska's technical, blast-beat-driven fill work. **Best hi-hats for blast beats and breakdowns in the same song?** Ben Koller's Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats and Chris Turner's Meinl Byzance Dual Hi-Hats both offer strong dynamic range across deathcore's blast-into-breakdown structure. For maximum blast-beat articulation specifically, George Kollias's Zildjian K Mastersound is the extreme-speed benchmark; for maximum breakdown weight, Isaac Lamb's Meinl Classics Custom Dark leads. **Blast-beat or breakdown hi-hats for deathcore?** Both matter, but which you prioritize depends on your material. Blast-beat articulate hi-hats (Zildjian K Mastersound, Kollias's choice; Meinl Byzance Dual, Turner's choice) suit technical, Nile-style extremity. Breakdown-weighted hi-hats (Meinl Classics Custom Dark, Lamb's choice; Zildjian K Dark, Koller's choice) suit hardcore-leaning, moshable material. --- ## Find Your Deathcore Hi-Hat Voice Deathcore hi-hats split according to the genre's own blast-into-breakdown structure: George Kollias's Zildjian K Mastersound and Chris Turner's Meinl Byzance Dual both prioritize extreme-speed blast-beat articulation, while Isaac Lamb's Meinl Classics Custom Dark and Ben Koller's Zildjian K Dark prioritize crushing breakdown weight and dynamic range. If you play technical, blast-beat-heavy deathcore, start with a 14" Zildjian K Mastersound pair or the budget Sabian AAX Stage — both stay articulate at extreme tempo. If you play breakdown-first, hardcore-leaning deathcore, Meinl Classics Custom Dark will give you the crushing, moshable weight your playing demands. Whatever you choose, prioritize durability above almost everything else — deathcore's blast-into-breakdown structure punishes hi-hats over a full set like few other subgenres, and a durable, well-chosen pair needs to survive both extremes. 🤘 **Now go blast.** --- ## Related Guides - [Best Cymbals for Deathcore: 2026 Ultimate Guide](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-cymbals-for-deathcore) - [Best Drum Kits for Deathcore: 2026 Ultimate Guide](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-kits-for-deathcore) - [Best Snare Drums for Deathcore: 2026 Ultimate Guide](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-snare-drums-for-deathcore) - [Best Drum Pedals for Deathcore: 2026 Ultimate Guide](https://metalforge.io/guides/best-drum-pedals-for-deathcore) ## Related Drummers - [Chris Turner](https://metalforge.io/drummer/chris-turner) — Meinl Byzance Dual 15" Hi-Hats — Oceans Ate Alaska technical blast-beat precision - [Isaac Lamb](https://metalforge.io/drummer/isaac-lamb) — Meinl Classics Custom Dark Hi-Hats — Kublai Khan TX breakdown-first weight - [Ben Koller](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ben-koller) — Zildjian K Dark Hi-Hats — Converge hardcore and mathcore dynamic range - [George Kollias](https://metalforge.io/drummer/george-kollias) — Zildjian K Mastersound 14" Hi-Hats — Nile extreme-speed blast-beat benchmark --- **More LLM resources:** [Guides Hub](https://metalforge.io/llms/guides.md) · [Site index](https://metalforge.io/llms.txt) · [Full database](https://metalforge.io/llms-full.txt)