# Ben Koller vs Dirk Verbeuren — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Ben Koller (Converge / Mutoid Man / Killer Be Killed) and Dirk Verbeuren (Megadeth). **Category:** Extreme / Death / Black Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-dirk-verbeuren Converge's Ben Koller vs Megadeth's Dirk Verbeuren. Unpredictable mathcore intensity compared to European thrash/death-metal technical precision. Gear, technique, and legacy compared. --- ## Ben Koller Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple - **Cymbals:** Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Double Pedal, Tama Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B ## Dirk Verbeuren Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Hybrid Ride, 18" K China) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal, Tama Iron Cobra Hi-Hat Stand - **Sticks:** Promark Shira Kashi Oak 5B ## Playing Style Ben Koller joined Converge in late 1999 and became central to the band's mathcore evolution, driving landmark records including "Jane Doe" (2001) and "The Dusk in Us" (2017) with abrupt tempo shifts and a raw, almost violent physicality. Dirk Verbeuren spent 18 years with Soilwork before joining Megadeth in 2016, bringing European technical precision and blinding double bass speed to modern thrash on "The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!" (2022). ## Technique Koller's technique is built for maximum unpredictability — a loose, explosive attack that thrives on Converge's constantly shifting time signatures, favoring gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. Verbeuren is known for extreme double bass speed, technical fills, and seamless transitions between blast beats and groove, a mathematical accuracy honed across Soilwork's melodic death metal catalog before he joined Megadeth. ## Key Differences Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals, driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal. Verbeuren plays a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with a Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14x6.5" snare and Zildjian A Custom & K Custom cymbals, powered by Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedals. Koller's technique is built for maximum unpredictability — a loose, explosive attack that thrives on Converge's constantly shifting time signatures, favoring gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. Verbeuren is known for extreme double bass speed, technical fills, and seamless transitions between blast beats and groove, a mathematical accuracy honed across Soilwork's melodic death metal catalog before he joined Megadeth. ## Influence & Legacy Koller is widely regarded as one of the most respected drummers in extreme and hardcore music, and Converge's "Jane Doe" reshaped how hardcore and metal drummers approach unpredictability and dynamics. Verbeuren brought a new level of technical sophistication to Megadeth after 2016, delivering the band's Grammy-nominated "The Sick, the Dying... and the Dead!" following nearly two decades defining Soilwork's melodic death metal sound. ## Verdict Ben Koller and Dirk Verbeuren represent two entirely different approaches to technical extreme drumming. Koller channels chaos and raw physicality into Converge's unpredictable mathcore assault, where the danger is the point. Verbeuren channels mathematical, European-honed precision into Megadeth's thrash arrangements, where seamless technical execution is the point. Both are among the most respected drummers in heavy music's more extreme corners — one built on controlled chaos, the other on surgical control. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Ben Koller's and Dirk Verbeuren's drum kits?** A: Ben Koller plays Tama Starclassic Maple with Zildjian cymbals, while Dirk Verbeuren uses Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch with Zildjian cymbals. Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals, driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal. Verbeuren plays a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with a Tama S.L.P. Big Black Steel 14x6.5" snare and Zildjian A Custom & K Custom cymbals, powered by Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedals. **Q: What drums does Ben Koller play vs Dirk Verbeuren?** A: Ben Koller plays Tama Starclassic Maple. Dirk Verbeuren plays Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch. **Q: Who is the better extreme / death / black metal drummer, Ben Koller or Dirk Verbeuren?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Ben Koller and Dirk Verbeuren represent two entirely different approaches to technical extreme drumming. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-dirk-verbeuren](https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-dirk-verbeuren). **Q: What cymbals do Ben Koller and Dirk Verbeuren use?** A: Ben Koller uses Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China). Dirk Verbeuren uses Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Hybrid Ride, 18" K China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-dirk-verbeuren](https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-dirk-verbeuren)* *[Ben Koller drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ben-koller)* *[Dirk Verbeuren drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/dirk-verbeuren)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-07 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*