# Aquiles Priester vs Blake Richardson — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Aquiles Priester (Angra / W.A.S.P.) and Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me). **Category:** Progressive Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-blake-richardson Aquiles Priester (Angra) vs Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me): Brazilian neoclassical power metal speed compared to American progressive metal complexity. Gear, technique, and style compared. --- ## Aquiles Priester Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series - **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" HHX X-Plosion Crashes, 21" HHX Groove Ride, 18" AAX Chinese) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal, Pearl Icon Rack System - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Aquiles Priester Signature ## Blake Richardson Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish) - **Cymbals:** Sabian (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" HHX Evolution Crash, 17" & 21" AAX Holy Chinas, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride, 10" HH Duo Splash, 9" Radia Cup Chime) - **Snare:** Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide Single Pedals (x2), Tama Hardware - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 3A ## Playing Style Aquiles Priester is a Brazilian drummer best known for his work with neoclassical power metal band Angra (2000–2012, 2023–present) and W.A.S.P. (2014–2021), renowned for blazing speed, precision, and energetic showmanship that made him one of the most celebrated power metal drummers in the world. Blake Richardson has been the drummer for American progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me since 2005, fusing death metal precision with jazz influences across landmark albums like "Colors" (2007), "The Great Misdirect" (2009), and "Colors II" (2023), earning Grammy nominations for his complex, genre-spanning playing. ## Technique Priester's technique is built around double bass speed and showmanship — his ability to maintain blazing tempos for extended periods while delivering complex fills and maintaining the melodic, neoclassical feel that Angra's power metal demands has made him a benchmark for the genre. Richardson's technique blends death metal blast beats with jazz-influenced odd time signatures and fill-heavy arrangements, requiring him to shift fluidly between brutal extremity and intricate, almost mathematical compositional complexity within a single song — a hallmark of Between the Buried and Me's genre-blending approach. ## Key Differences Aquiles Priester plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian HHX & AAX Series cymbals, powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal built for sustained high-speed double bass work. Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass snare and Sabian cymbals (including 17" and 21" AAX Holy Chinas), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals for independent double-kick patterns. Priester's technique is built around double bass speed and showmanship — his ability to maintain blazing tempos for extended periods while delivering complex fills and maintaining the melodic, neoclassical feel that Angra's power metal demands has made him a benchmark for the genre. Richardson's technique blends death metal blast beats with jazz-influenced odd time signatures and fill-heavy arrangements, requiring him to shift fluidly between brutal extremity and intricate, almost mathematical compositional complexity within a single song — a hallmark of Between the Buried and Me's genre-blending approach. ## Influence & Legacy Priester has won numerous awards from Brazilian and international music publications and is considered one of the most celebrated power metal drummers in the world, with his Angra tenure helping establish Brazil as a major force in neoclassical power metal. Richardson's two-decade run with Between the Buried and Me, citing influences like Terry Bozzio, Dennis Chambers, and Tomas Haake, has made him one of the most creative and technically proficient drummers in modern progressive metal, with Grammy-nominated work that helped define the genre-blending "djent-adjacent" progressive metal sound of the 2010s and 2020s. ## Verdict Aquiles Priester and Blake Richardson represent two of extreme-technical metal drumming's most celebrated traditions. Priester is power metal's neoclassical speed virtuoso, built for blazing double bass and energetic showmanship across Angra's melodic, soaring compositions. Richardson is progressive metal's genre-blending complexity pioneer, fusing death metal brutality with jazz-informed odd-meter intricacy across two decades with Between the Buried and Me. Both answer the question of who represents the best progressive/power metal drummer comparison — Priester through speed and melody, Richardson through compositional complexity. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Aquiles Priester's and Blake Richardson's drum kits?** A: Aquiles Priester plays Pearl Reference Series with Sabian cymbals, while Blake Richardson uses Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish) with Sabian cymbals. Aquiles Priester plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian HHX & AAX Series cymbals, powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal built for sustained high-speed double bass work. Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass snare and Sabian cymbals (including 17" and 21" AAX Holy Chinas), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals for independent double-kick patterns. **Q: What drums does Aquiles Priester play vs Blake Richardson?** A: Aquiles Priester plays Pearl Reference Series. Blake Richardson plays Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish). **Q: Who is the better progressive metal drummer, Aquiles Priester or Blake Richardson?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Aquiles Priester and Blake Richardson represent two of extreme-technical metal drumming's most celebrated traditions. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-blake-richardson). **Q: What cymbals do Aquiles Priester and Blake Richardson use?** A: Aquiles Priester uses Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" HHX X-Plosion Crashes, 21" HHX Groove Ride, 18" AAX Chinese). Blake Richardson uses Sabian (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" HHX Evolution Crash, 17" & 21" AAX Holy Chinas, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride, 10" HH Duo Splash, 9" Radia Cup Chime). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-blake-richardson)* *[Aquiles Priester drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/aquiles-priester)* *[Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)* --- *Last updated: 2026-06-30 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*