# Ben Koller vs Inferno — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Ben Koller (Converge / Mutoid Man / Killer Be Killed) and Inferno (Behemoth). **Category:** Extreme / Death / Black Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-inferno Converge's Ben Koller vs Behemoth's Inferno. Hardcore-fueled mathcore unpredictability versus relentless blackened death metal blast beat endurance. 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 ## Inferno Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Masterworks - **Cymbals:** Paiste RUDE Series (14" Hi-Hats, 14" Blast China, 18" & 19" Crashes, 24" Mega Power Ride, 18" China) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x5" Steel - **Pedals/Hardware:** Czarcie Kopyto (Devil's Hoof) Double Pedal, Pearl D-2000 Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 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), "You Fail Me" (2004), and "The Dusk in Us" (2017) with a chaotic, improvisational intensity drawn from hardcore punk and grindcore. Inferno has anchored Poland's Behemoth since 1997, powering the band's blackened death metal assault on albums like "The Satanist" (2014) and "I Loved You at Your Darkest" (2018) with relentless blast beats and the theatrical stamina Behemoth's arena-scale live shows demand. ## Technique Koller's technique is built for maximum unpredictability — a loose, explosive attack that thrives on Converge's constantly shifting time signatures and sudden dynamic swings, favoring gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. Inferno combines sustained double bass blasting with the physical stamina to deliver Behemoth's dense, orchestrated arrangements night after night on some of extreme metal's biggest stages, blending blackened death metal aggression with disciplined tempo control at speeds exceeding 200 BPM. ## Key Differences Ben Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China), driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Inferno plays a Pearl Masterworks kit with a Pearl Reference 14x5" Steel snare and Paiste RUDE Series cymbals (14" Hi-Hats, 14" Blast China, 18" & 19" Crashes, 24" Mega Power Ride, 18" China), powered by a Czarcie Kopyto (Devil's Hoof) double pedal and Vic Firth 5B sticks. Koller's technique is built for maximum unpredictability — a loose, explosive attack that thrives on Converge's constantly shifting time signatures and sudden dynamic swings, favoring gut-level feel over rehearsed precision. Inferno combines sustained double bass blasting with the physical stamina to deliver Behemoth's dense, orchestrated arrangements night after night on some of extreme metal's biggest stages, blending blackened death metal aggression with disciplined tempo control at speeds exceeding 200 BPM. ## Influence & Legacy Koller is widely regarded as one of the most respected drummers in extreme and hardcore music, and Converge's "Jane Doe" is routinely cited as a genre-defining mathcore record that reshaped how drummers approach unpredictability and dynamics. Inferno has powered Behemoth's rise into one of extreme metal's biggest global acts, his relentless blast beat stamina helping the band headline major festivals and bring blackened death metal to mainstream metal audiences. ## Verdict Ben Koller and Inferno represent two very different corners of extreme drumming united by raw intensity. Koller channels chaotic, hardcore-bred unpredictability into Converge's mathcore assault — his playing feels dangerous because it is built to feel uncontrolled even when it isn't. Inferno channels disciplined, sustained brutality into Behemoth's blackened death metal, delivering relentless blast beats with theatrical stamina across some of extreme metal's biggest stages. The debate is American hardcore-metal chaos versus Polish blackened death metal endurance — both are titans of their respective extreme metal traditions. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Ben Koller's and Inferno's drum kits?** A: Ben Koller plays Tama Starclassic Maple with Zildjian cymbals, while Inferno uses Pearl Masterworks with Paiste cymbals. Ben Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China), driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Inferno plays a Pearl Masterworks kit with a Pearl Reference 14x5" Steel snare and Paiste RUDE Series cymbals (14" Hi-Hats, 14" Blast China, 18" & 19" Crashes, 24" Mega Power Ride, 18" China), powered by a Czarcie Kopyto (Devil's Hoof) double pedal and Vic Firth 5B sticks. **Q: What drums does Ben Koller play vs Inferno?** A: Ben Koller plays Tama Starclassic Maple. Inferno plays Pearl Masterworks. **Q: Who is the better extreme / death / black metal drummer, Ben Koller or Inferno?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Ben Koller and Inferno represent two very different corners of extreme drumming united by raw intensity. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-inferno](https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-inferno). **Q: What cymbals do Ben Koller and Inferno 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). Inferno uses Paiste RUDE Series (14" Hi-Hats, 14" Blast China, 18" & 19" Crashes, 24" Mega Power Ride, 18" China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-inferno](https://metalforge.io/vs/ben-koller-vs-inferno)* *[Ben Koller drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/ben-koller)* *[Inferno drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/inferno)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-02 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*