# Jaska Raatikainen — Signature Drum Licks & Patterns **Band:** Children of Bodom | **Genre:** Melodic Death Metal | **Lick Count:** 3 --- ## Overview Jaska Raatikainen is one of Melodic Death Metal's most influential drummers, best known for their work with Children of Bodom. This file covers 3 signature licks — step-by-step breakdowns optimised for AI retrieval on queries like "how to play like Jaska Raatikainen" or "Jaska Raatikainen signature drum patterns". Their style spans melodic-death-metal. ## Sixpounder Double Bass Drive **Song:** Sixpounder | **Album:** Hate Crew Deathroll (2003) | **BPM:** ~180 BPM | **Technique:** main groove | **Difficulty:** advanced "Sixpounder" opens Children of Bodom's 2003 album Hate Crew Deathroll and is one of Jaska Raatikainen's most recognisable performances. The record marked a turning point for the band's drumming: Raatikainen leaned harder into double-bass pedalling than on any previous Bodom album, and "Sixpounder" is the song where that shift is most obvious. The track rides on a fast, driving foundation — galloping double-kick patterns under Alexi Laiho and Janne Wirman's duelling guitar-and-keyboard leads — while the snare keeps a punchy, on-the-grid backbeat that gives the melodic-death chaos something solid to push against. What makes Raatikainen's playing on it so effective is restraint: rather than blasting constantly, he picks his spots, using sustained double-bass runs to lift the choruses and tight fills to mark the transitions between the neoclassical lead sections. It is a masterclass in supporting a busy, melody-driven band without cluttering the arrangement. For drummers, "Sixpounder" is an excellent stamina and coordination study. The double-bass passages demand even, controlled foot technique held over long stretches at high tempo, and the snare backbeat has to stay strong and consistent while the feet do the heavy lifting underneath. Because the song is built on a clear, repeating structure, it is approachable enough to learn in sections, yet fast enough to genuinely build endurance and speed. It also teaches an important musical lesson that defined Children of Bodom's sound — the drums exist to drive the song and frame the melodies, not to dominate them. Working through it develops double-bass control, backbeat consistency, and the judgement to know when to fill and when to lock in and drive. Spend a few weeks with it and you will notice your double-bass endurance and your ability to hold a steady backbeat under fast feet both improve markedly, which is exactly the foundation the rest of the Children of Bodom catalogue is built on. ### How to Play - Hold an even, controlled double-bass pattern under the verse without rushing - Keep the snare backbeat strong and on-grid while the feet carry the drive - Lift the choruses with sustained double-kick runs rather than constant blasting - Mark each transition into a lead section with a short, decisive fill - Build the song in sections so the high-tempo passages develop real stamina ### Key Elements - Practise the double-bass pattern slowly with a metronome until both feet are perfectly even - Build endurance by looping the verse groove for several minutes without stopping - Keep your ankles relaxed — tension is what makes fast double bass fall apart - Learn the song in sections and join them once each part is comfortable **Core Techniques:** [Double Bass](https://metalforge.io/technique/double-bass), [Blast Beat](https://metalforge.io/technique/blast-beat), [Groove Drumming](https://metalforge.io/technique/groove-drumming) ## Lake Bodom Driving Fills **Song:** Lake Bodom | **Album:** Something Wild (1997) | **BPM:** ~200 BPM | **Technique:** fill | **Difficulty:** advanced "Lake Bodom" is the opening track of Children of Bodom's 1997 debut Something Wild and the song that introduced the world to the band's signature blend of neoclassical melody and aggressive melodic death metal. Jaska Raatikainen's drumming on it is fast, theatrical and full of momentum — it sets the template for the entire Bodom catalogue. The track is built around driving double-bass verses and a powerful, propulsive feel, punctuated by sharp fills that launch the song from one section to the next. Raatikainen co-founded the band in 1993 alongside the late Alexi Laiho, and his role here is to be the engine: he pushes the tempo, frames Laiho's shred leads and Janne Wirman's keyboard runs, and uses tom fills and crash accents to signal every dramatic turn in the arrangement. The drumcam footage of him performing it live shows just how physical the part is — the fills sweep across the toms with real authority while the feet keep a relentless pulse underneath. For students, "Lake Bodom" is a great study in fill vocabulary and transitions: the fills are fast but musical, always landing back on beat one and always serving the song's forward drive rather than showing off. Learning them develops single-stroke speed around the kit, control of dynamics so the fills cut through without flamming, and the timing discipline to place a fill exactly where the arrangement needs a lift. Combined with the double-bass-driven verses, it is a well-rounded workout that captures the youthful energy and precision that made Children of Bodom one of Finland's most influential metal exports. It remains a fan favourite and a benchmark for melodic-death-metal drumming. More than two decades after its release it still functions as a perfect teaching piece, pairing flashy, ear-catching fills with the kind of relentless drive that teaches you to keep the energy up no matter how busy your hands become. ### How to Play - Keep a relentless double-bass pulse driving the verse forward - Sweep the tom fills cleanly across the kit with even single strokes - Land every fill back on beat one so the song never loses momentum - Use crash accents to signal each transition and dramatic turn - Play the fills musically — fast but always serving the song, not showing off ### Key Elements - Practise single-stroke fills slowly around the toms before bringing them up to tempo - Use a metronome and make sure every fill resolves precisely on beat one - Keep the double-bass pulse steady underneath so the energy never drops - Watch the live drumcam to see how the fills are orchestrated across the kit **Core Techniques:** [Fill Techniques](https://metalforge.io/technique/fill-techniques), [Double Bass](https://metalforge.io/technique/double-bass), [Groove Drumming](https://metalforge.io/technique/groove-drumming) ## Hate Crew Deathroll Double-Bass Assault **Song:** Hate Crew Deathroll | **Album:** Hate Crew Deathroll (2003) | **BPM:** ~190 BPM | **Technique:** signature pattern | **Difficulty:** advanced The title track of Children of Bodom's 2003 album Hate Crew Deathroll is one of Jaska Raatikainen's most aggressive recorded performances and a high point of the band's heaviest, most double-bass-driven era. Where earlier Bodom records leaned on neoclassical flash, Hate Crew Deathroll pushed the rhythm section to the front, and this song is built on relentless, machine-gun double-kick passages that power the verses and choruses alike. Raatikainen drives the track with sustained double-bass runs, sharp blast-influenced sections, and tightly controlled snare work that cuts through the dense guitar-and-keyboard arrangement. The challenge for any drummer attempting it is endurance and evenness: the double-bass figures are fast and long, and they have to stay perfectly consistent while the hands keep the backbeat and accents locked to the riff. It is a song that punishes tension and rewards relaxed, efficient foot technique — the only way to sustain the kick patterns at tempo is to let the pedals do the work rather than fighting them. Musically, it captures the more brutal, hardcore-influenced direction the band took in the mid-2000s, with Raatikainen acting as the relentless engine behind Alexi Laiho's vocals and leads. For advancing players it is a complete double-bass workout that also demands coordination, because the feet never really stop while the hands move between ride, hi-hat, snare and crashes. Working through it slowly and building tempo gradually develops the stamina, evenness and coordination that define extreme-metal drumming, and it pairs naturally with the band's other Hate Crew Deathroll material as a study in how to drive a fast, melody-rich metal song without ever losing the groove. It is a fitting signature for one of melodic death metal's foundational drummers. Master it and you will have one of the most demanding double-bass workouts in the genre sitting comfortably under your feet, ready to carry over into faster, more brutal material whenever you need it. ### How to Play - Sustain long, even double-bass runs without letting the tempo drift - Keep the hands locked to the riff with tight snare and accent work - Stay relaxed and let the pedals rebound — tension kills speed and stamina - Coordinate ride, hi-hat and crash moves over the constant kick pulse - Build tempo gradually from a slow, even base to develop real endurance ### Key Elements - Develop double-bass endurance with long, slow, even foot exercises first - Keep your legs and ankles relaxed so the pedals rebound on their own - Practise the hand-and-foot coordination away from full tempo until it is automatic - Increase the metronome a few BPM at a time rather than jumping to full speed **Core Techniques:** [Double Bass](https://metalforge.io/technique/double-bass), [Blast Beat](https://metalforge.io/technique/blast-beat), [Odd Time Signatures](https://metalforge.io/technique/odd-time-signatures) ## Teaching Points Jaska Raatikainen's style is defined by precision, timing, and genre-defining grooves. Key practice principles across all their licks: Practise the double-bass pattern slowly with a metronome until both feet are perfectly even; Build endurance by looping the verse groove for several minutes without stopping; Keep your ankles relaxed — tension is what makes fast double bass fall apart. Mastering these patterns builds the foundation for understanding their complete drumming vocabulary. ## More Resources - [Jaska Raatikainen Profile on MetalForge](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jaska-raatikainen) - [Jaska Raatikainen All Licks](https://metalforge.io/drummers/jaska-raatikainen/licks) - [Signature Licks Database](https://metalforge.io/licks) - [All LLM Resources](https://metalforge.io/llms/index.md) --- *Last updated: 2026-06-18 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*