# How to Sound Like Arin Ilejay — Avenged Sevenfold Drumming Guide

**Drummer:** Arin Ilejay  
**Band:** Avenged Sevenfold  
**Genre:** Heavy Metal  
**Guide URL:** https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-arin-ilejay

## Overview

Arin Ilejay stepped behind the kit for Avenged Sevenfold in 2011, taking on one of the most scrutinized drum chairs in modern metal following the death of founding drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. Rather than chase The Rev's technically extravagant, jazz-influenced style, Ilejay and the band deliberately leaned into a classic heavy metal sound on "Hail to the King" (2013) — an album that drew direct lines to Metallica, Black Sabbath, and Iron Maiden and debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200.

What makes Ilejay's approach distinct is restraint in service of power. His drumming on Hail to the King prioritizes authoritative, groove-forward playing over fills-dense technical showmanship — a deliberate strategy that let a young, relatively unknown drummer step into an impossible situation and deliver a commercially massive, critically respected record.

## Kit Setup

Ilejay recorded Hail to the King on a **DW Collector's Series** kit in Tobacco Burst finish:

- **Kick Drums:** 22" x 18" Bass Drum (x2)
- **Snare:** 14" x 5.5" DW Collector's Maple/Mahogany
- **Rack Toms:** 10", 12", 14"
- **Floor Toms:** 16", 18"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom — 14" hi-hats, 16"/18"/19" crashes, 20" ride, A Custom China
- **Pedal:** DW 9000 Series Double Bass Pedal
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 (kick), Remo Ambassador Coated (snare/toms)

## Tuning & Setup

Ilejay tunes for a dry, direct, authoritative sound that references classic 1980s heavy metal production:

- **Kick:** Medium-tight tension with focused muffling. Produces the punchy, tight attack needed for the album's galloping patterns.
- **Snare:** Medium tension, minimal muffling. Lets the Maple/Mahogany shell deliver a dry, authoritative crack that sits forward in a dense guitar mix.
- **Toms:** Medium, focused tension with light muffling. Keeps fills punchy and direct rather than over-resonant.

## Technique Tips

Ilejay's technique centers on disciplined power playing — locking into a steady backbeat and letting the groove carry the song rather than drawing attention through fills or odd meters. His double-bass work favors galloping, riff-driven patterns over blast speed.

**Signature patterns:**

- **Galloping Double-Bass Gallop (110–120 BPM, Intermediate):** A driving, Metallica-influenced double-kick pattern under a steady backbeat, as heard on "This Means War" — a direct homage to "Sad But True"-style gallops. Practice a long-short-short gallop on the kick under a locked 2-and-4 snare backbeat.
- **Half-Time Power Backbeat (75–95 BPM, Beginner-Intermediate):** A heavy, deliberate half-time groove emphasizing the kick and snare backbeat, used to open tracks like "Shepherd of Fire." Focus on full-arm power rather than speed.
- **Restrained Dynamic Build (90–100 BPM, Intermediate):** On tracks like "Coming Home," a ride-cymbal-carried groove with sparse crash accents building gradually into the final chorus rather than front-loading intensity.

**Key songs to study:** *Shepherd of Fire* (Hail to the King, 2013) · *Hail to the King* (Hail to the King, 2013) · *This Means War* (Hail to the King, 2013) · *Coming Home* (Hail to the King, 2013)

## Gear Shopping List

| Item | Ilejay's Spec | Budget Alternative |
|------|----------------|---------------------|
| Drum Kit | DW Collector's Series (Tobacco Burst) | Pearl Export (~$650) |
| Snare | DW Collector's 14" x 5.5" Maple/Mahogany | Any medium-tuned maple/mahogany 14" x 5.5" snare |
| Cymbals | Zildjian A Custom (full setup) | Zildjian Planet Z hi-hats + crash (~$150) |
| Pedal | DW 9000 Series Double Bass Pedal | Tama Speed Cobra HP310LW (~$50-100) |
| Sticks | Vic Firth American Classic 5A | Same spec |
| Heads | Remo Powerstroke 3 / Ambassador Coated | Same specs |

**Starter budget path (~$850):** Pearl Export + Zildjian Planet Z + Tama Speed Cobra single pedal. See [/brands/dw](https://metalforge.io/brands/dw) and [/brands/zildjian](https://metalforge.io/brands/zildjian).

## Practice Routine

1. **Gallop Pattern Builder (15 min daily):** Practice a long-short-short gallop pattern on the kick under a steady snare backbeat on 2 and 4, starting slow and building tempo gradually.
2. **Half-Time Power Groove Drill (10 min daily):** Play a half-time groove with full-arm power on the snare backbeat, focusing on weight and consistency rather than speed or fills.
3. **Restraint and Build Practice (10 min daily):** Play a ride-cymbal-carried groove through a full verse-chorus structure, adding crash accents only at section transitions to build toward a climactic final chorus.

**Common mistakes:** Adding unnecessary fills instead of trusting a steady, powerful groove; playing gallop patterns too fast or loose instead of locking them to a steady backbeat; front-loading dynamics instead of building gradually toward a song's climax; losing full-arm power on the backbeat by relying too much on wrist technique alone.

## FAQ

**Q: Who is Arin Ilejay and why is his drumming notable?**  
A: Arin Ilejay was Avenged Sevenfold's drummer from 2011 to 2015, joining after the death of founding drummer Jimmy "The Rev" Sullivan. He recorded "Hail to the King" (2013), the band's only #1 Billboard 200 album, bringing a restrained, groove-forward classic heavy metal approach that deliberately contrasted with The Rev's technically extravagant style.

**Q: What gear should I use to sound like Arin Ilejay?**  
A: Ilejay recorded Hail to the King on a DW Collector's Series kit in Tobacco Burst finish, a DW Collector's 14" x 5.5" Maple/Mahogany snare, a full Zildjian A Custom cymbal setup, a DW 9000 Series double bass pedal, and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks.

**Q: What songs should I learn first to sound like Arin Ilejay?**  
A: Start with "Shepherd of Fire" for its half-time power groove, then "Hail to the King" for its Metallica-style galloping verse pattern. "This Means War" is the clearest double-bass gallop showcase, and "Coming Home" demonstrates his restrained, ride-carried dynamic building.

**Q: What tempo should I practice at to sound like Arin Ilejay?**  
A: Practice in the 75–120 BPM range that covers Hail to the King's tempo spread, from half-time power grooves around 75–95 BPM up to galloping double-bass tracks near 110–120 BPM — the focus is locking a steady, powerful groove rather than chasing raw speed.

**Q: How does Arin Ilejay's style compare to The Rev's?**  
A: The Rev played a technically extravagant, jazz-influenced style with unconventional fills across A7X's earlier albums. Ilejay deliberately took a different path on Hail to the King: restrained, authoritative groove in service of a classic heavy metal aesthetic referencing Metallica, Sabbath, and Maiden, rather than an attempt to replicate The Rev's technical signature.

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**Full interactive guide:** [https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-arin-ilejay](https://metalforge.io/guides/how-to-sound-like-arin-ilejay)  
**Drummer profile:** [https://metalforge.io/drummer/arin-ilejay](https://metalforge.io/drummer/arin-ilejay)  
**Related album article:** [Hail to the King Drum Setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/hail-to-the-king-drum-setup)  
**Related guides:** [Shannon Larkin](https://metalforge.io/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-shannon-larkin.md) · [Ray Luzier](https://metalforge.io/llms/guides/how-to-sound-like-ray-luzier.md)

*Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io) · Last updated: 2026-07-02*