# Aquiles Priester vs Jaska Raatikainen — Drum Kit & Gear Comparison | MetalForge > Side-by-side gear comparison between Aquiles Priester (Angra / W.A.S.P.) and Jaska Raatikainen (Children of Bodom). **Category:** Power Metal / Melodic Death Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-jaska-raatikainen Aquiles Priester vs Jaska Raatikainen — two of Europe and South America's finest double-kick specialists. Both defined the dual-bass vocabulary of melodic extreme metal; their gear, technique, and approach compared. --- ## At a Glance | Spec | Aquiles Priester | Jaska Raatikainen | |------|-----------------|-------------------| | Drums | Pearl Reference Series | Pearl Masters Premium Maple | | Cymbals | Meinl Byzance Series | Meinl Mb20 Series | | Snare | Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" | Pearl Masters 14"x6.5" | | Pedals | Pearl Demon Chain Drive Double Pedal | Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal | | Sticks | Vic Firth Aquiles Priester Signature | Vic Firth 5B | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Aquiles Priester Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series (custom finishes) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (14" Byzance Traditional Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" Byzance crashes, 21" Byzance Ride, China) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" or Pearl Aquiles Priester Signature model - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Chain Drive Double Pedal, Pearl Roadster Throne - **Heads:** Evans - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Aquiles Priester Signature Priester is a dual Pearl and Vic Firth endorser. His Pearl Reference Series kit is configured for maximum projection across large festival stages — a frequent requirement given his touring workload with Angra and W.A.S.P. across South American and European circuits. The Meinl Byzance series provides the warm, dark cymbal character that complements Angra's melodic, layered arrangements without the harsh attack that would compete with keyboard and guitar lead tones. The Pearl Demon Chain pedal was chosen for its consistent, rapid-fire response across the long double-bass passages that define Priester's signature approach. ### Jaska Raatikainen Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Masters Premium Maple (custom finish) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Mb20 Series (14" Mb20 Hi-Hats, 16" & 18" Mb20 crashes, 22" Heavy Bell Ride) - **Snare:** Pearl Masters 14"x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal, Pearl Roadster Throne - **Heads:** Remo Emperor/Ambassador - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5B Raatikainen was a Pearl Drums endorser throughout Children of Bodom's career. His Masters Premium Maple kit was built for the endurance demands of Bodom's extensive touring cycle — a configuration that remained remarkably consistent from album to album, giving him the deep muscle memory needed to execute technically demanding parts accurately across long setlists. The Meinl Mb20 series — a heavier, more aggressive-sounding line than the Byzance — suits the cutting, raw edge of melodic death metal better than Priester's darker Byzance selection. The Pearl Eliminator pedal is one of the most trusted in the double-bass world, and Raatikainen's use of it reflects a preference for reliability and consistency over exotic performance specs. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Aquiles Priester is a Brazilian virtuoso who joined Angra for the *Rebirth* album (2001) and redefined what power metal drumming could sound like. His technique is built around blazing, even double-bass patterns delivered at extreme speeds — 165–190 BPM sustained over long passages — with a musical sensibility that keeps the footwork serving the melody rather than overpowering it. Priester's right-hand ride work is precise and consistent across demanding tempos, and his snare accents cut through Angra's layered guitar-and-keyboard arrangements with authority. What distinguishes him from pure speed drummers is his dynamic control: he modulates intensity across sections, making verses feel full and choruses feel like an event. His background in Brazilian music also introduced unexpected rhythmic inflections into power metal drumming, expanding the vocabulary of the genre. Jaska Raatikainen co-founded Children of Bodom with the late Alexi Laiho at age 14 and spent 26 years developing one of melodic death metal's most recognisable drum sounds. His approach is rooted in driving, functional drumming — sustaining double-bass patterns across the rhythmic backbone of Bodom's neoclassical riff structures, deploying blast beats at appropriate moments, and leaving room for Laiho and Janne Wirman's melodic conversation to take place above the rhythm section. Where Priester tends toward technical showmanship within musical parameters, Raatikainen tends toward maximum efficiency: he plays what the song needs, executes it consistently, and builds his endurance for the long haul. His drumming on *Hate Crew Deathroll* (2003) and *Are You Dead Yet?* (2005) represents the peak of this approach. --- ## Key Differences Both drummers anchor on Pearl Drums and Meinl cymbals — an unusual degree of gear overlap for a direct comparison — but they sit in different parts of the Pearl/Meinl catalog. Priester's Reference Series and Byzance combination produces a warmer, more resonant tone suited to power metal's melodic density. Raatikainen's Masters Premium Maple and Mb20 combination delivers a harder, more cutting sound that drives through melodic death metal's mid-range guitar frequencies. Pedal choice also differs: the Pearl Demon Chain Drive (Priester) and Pearl Eliminator (Raatikainen) are both excellent, high-performance options, but the Demon Chain Drive tends to provide a slightly more fluid, biomechanically efficient stroke for extreme-speed double bass — reflecting Priester's emphasis on sustained velocity. The most significant stylistic difference is between their musical roles. Priester plays behind a band where the drums are a featured element — Angra's compositions often spotlight his double-bass work explicitly. Raatikainen played behind Children of Bodom where Laiho and Wirman's guitar-keyboard interplay was the primary focus, and the drums existed to support rather than showcase. This shapes everything about how they approach fills, cymbal placement, and dynamic architecture. --- ## Which Should You Study First? **Study Aquiles Priester first if:** You want to develop extreme double-bass speed and endurance with musical application. His *Rebirth* and *Temple of Shadows* performances are primer texts for high-tempo power metal drumming. Focus on the even, sustained kick pattern and the relaxed upper body that enables long-duration speed without fatigue. **Study Jaska Raatikainen first if:** You want to learn how to drive a melody-led metal band without overplaying. His *Sixpounder* and *Needled 24/7* parts show how double-bass and blast beats can serve a complex, guitar-and-keyboard-driven composition without cluttering the arrangement. --- ## Influence & Legacy Aquiles Priester is the most prominent metal drummer to emerge from Brazil and has won multiple international "Best Drummer" awards across his career. His recordings with Angra — particularly *Temple of Shadows* (2004), widely considered one of the greatest power metal albums ever made — are canonical listening for the genre. His Vic Firth signature stick, designed for speed and grip, is used by drummers across power and progressive metal globally. Jaska Raatikainen co-built a band that sold over 2 million albums worldwide and influenced an entire generation of European melodic death metal drumming. Children of Bodom's catalog remains a study reference for the genre, and Raatikainen's endurance-based approach — maintaining technical execution through three-hour festival sets across decades — is a model for professional touring drummers. His contribution to melodic death metal drumming is foundational. --- ## Verdict Priester and Raatikainen represent complementary archetypes of European-adjacent extreme metal drumming: the virtuoso showman and the band-service foundation. Priester's speed and individual brilliance make him the more spectacular study; Raatikainen's consistency and musical judgment make him the more instructive one for band-context drumming. Both are essential references for double-bass technique in melodic extreme metal. --- ## FAQ **Q: Who is faster, Aquiles Priester or Jaska Raatikainen?** A: Aquiles Priester is generally regarded as the faster double-bass specialist, sustaining extremely even patterns at 165–190 BPM over long passages. Raatikainen is highly capable at speed but prioritises consistency and musical service over raw velocity. **Q: What drums do Aquiles Priester and Jaska Raatikainen play?** A: Both play Pearl Drums. Priester uses the Pearl Reference Series; Raatikainen used Pearl Masters Premium Maple throughout his Children of Bodom career. **Q: What cymbals do Aquiles Priester and Jaska Raatikainen use?** A: Both use Meinl. Priester endorses Meinl Byzance Series for warm, dark tones. Raatikainen used Meinl Mb20 Series for a heavier, more aggressive cutting sound. **Q: What double pedals do Priester and Raatikainen use?** A: Priester uses the Pearl Demon Chain Drive double pedal. Raatikainen used the Pearl Eliminator double pedal — both from Pearl's high-performance range, with slightly different action characters. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-jaska-raatikainen](https://metalforge.io/vs/aquiles-priester-vs-jaska-raatikainen)* *[Aquiles Priester drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/aquiles-priester)* *[Jaska Raatikainen drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jaska-raatikainen)* *[George Kollias vs Pete Sandoval](https://metalforge.io/vs/george-kollias-vs-pete-sandoval)* *[Pete Sandoval vs Flo Mounier](https://metalforge.io/vs/pete-sandoval-vs-flo-mounier)* --- *Last updated: 2026-06-24 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*