# Bill Ward vs Brann Dailor — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) and Brann Dailor (Mastodon). **Category:** Alternative / Nu-Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-brann-dailor Black Sabbath's Bill Ward vs Mastodon's Brann Dailor — the jazz-swing originator of heavy metal drumming compared to modern progressive sludge metal's melodic architect. --- ## Bill Ward Setup - **Drums:** Ludwig Classic Maple - **Cymbals:** Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series (15" Giant Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" 2002 Crashes, 24" 2002 Ride, 18" 2002 China) - **Snare:** Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 - **Pedals/Hardware:** Ludwig Atlas Pro Double Pedal, Ludwig Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 2B ## Brann Dailor Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Performer B/B - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (14" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Brilliant Heavy Hammered Crashes, 21" Ghost Ride, 18" Extra Dry China) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14x6.5" G-Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Speed Cobra Double Pedal, Tama Iron Cobra Lever Glide Hi-Hat Stand, Tama 1st Chair Ergo-Rider Throne - **Sticks:** Vater 5B ## Playing Style Bill Ward co-founded Black Sabbath in Birmingham, England in 1968 and, alongside Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Ozzy Osbourne, invented heavy metal's rhythmic vocabulary on albums like "Paranoid" (1970) and "Master of Reality" (1971). Brann Dailor co-founded Atlanta's Mastodon in 2000, building a progressive sludge metal style that treats the drum kit as a compositional, melodic instrument rather than a pure timekeeping device. ## Technique Ward's jazz training under the influence of Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich gave early Sabbath riffs a loose, swinging feel — he played open-handed on a right-handed kit, crossing his right hand over to the hi-hat, and prioritized dynamics and space over constant volume. Dailor's technique is similarly unconventional for heavy music: he composes flowing, ever-changing tom melodies that function as countermelodies to Mastodon's riffs, all while singing complex vocal harmonies simultaneously — a combination virtually unmatched in metal. ## Key Differences Ward played a Ludwig Vistalite/Standard Maple kit (24"x14" bass drum, single rack tom, one or two floor toms — no double bass throughout his career) with a Ludwig Supraphonic 400/LM402 aluminum snare and oversized Paiste Giant Beat/2002 cymbals (15" Sound Edge hi-hats, up to a 24" crash/ride), driven by a Ludwig Speed King single pedal. Dailor plays a DW Collector's Series maple kit (single 22"x18" bass drum, three rack toms, one floor tom) with a DW Collector's aluminum snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals (18"-20" Traditional/Brilliant crashes, 22" Traditional Medium Ride), using a single DW 9000 pedal and standard Vic Firth 5A sticks rather than any specialized double-bass setup. Ward's jazz training under the influence of Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich gave early Sabbath riffs a loose, swinging feel — he played open-handed on a right-handed kit, crossing his right hand over to the hi-hat, and prioritized dynamics and space over constant volume. Dailor's technique is similarly unconventional for heavy music: he composes flowing, ever-changing tom melodies that function as countermelodies to Mastodon's riffs, all while singing complex vocal harmonies simultaneously — a combination virtually unmatched in metal. ## Influence & Legacy Ward's swing-based, jazz-informed approach on Black Sabbath's first six albums remains the foundational reference point for every metal drummer who followed, earning him a 2006 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. Dailor has carried that same feel-first, single-bass-drum philosophy into the 21st century, earning four Grammy nominations with Mastodon while proving melodic, compositional drumming has a place in progressive sludge metal. ## Verdict Bill Ward and Brann Dailor sit at opposite ends of a five-decade lineage running directly from Black Sabbath's doom-laden birth of heavy metal to Mastodon's prog-sludge evolution — and both prove that a single bass drum, played with feel and imagination, can outweigh technical firepower. Ward invented metal's rhythmic language by swinging where rock drummers stayed rigid; Dailor extended that language into melodic, compositional territory while singing over it. The generational throughline from Sabbath to Mastodon is audible the moment you put these two drummers side by side. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Bill Ward's and Brann Dailor's drum kits?** A: Bill Ward plays Ludwig Classic Maple with Paiste cymbals, while Brann Dailor uses Tama Starclassic Performer B/B with Meinl cymbals. Ward played a Ludwig Vistalite/Standard Maple kit (24"x14" bass drum, single rack tom, one or two floor toms — no double bass throughout his career) with a Ludwig Supraphonic 400/LM402 aluminum snare and oversized Paiste Giant Beat/2002 cymbals (15" Sound Edge hi-hats, up to a 24" crash/ride), driven by a Ludwig Speed King single pedal. Dailor plays a DW Collector's Series maple kit (single 22"x18" bass drum, three rack toms, one floor tom) with a DW Collector's aluminum snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals (18"-20" Traditional/Brilliant crashes, 22" Traditional Medium Ride), using a single DW 9000 pedal and standard Vic Firth 5A sticks rather than any specialized double-bass setup. **Q: What drums does Bill Ward play vs Brann Dailor?** A: Bill Ward plays Ludwig Classic Maple. Brann Dailor plays Tama Starclassic Performer B/B. **Q: Who is the better alternative / nu-metal drummer, Bill Ward or Brann Dailor?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Bill Ward and Brann Dailor sit at opposite ends of a five-decade lineage running directly from Black Sabbath's doom-laden birth of heavy metal to Mastodon's prog-sludge evolution — and both prove that a single bass drum, played with feel and imagination, can outweigh technical firepower. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-brann-dailor](https://metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-brann-dailor). **Q: What cymbals do Bill Ward and Brann Dailor use?** A: Bill Ward uses Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series (15" Giant Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" 2002 Crashes, 24" 2002 Ride, 18" 2002 China). Brann Dailor uses Meinl Byzance Series (14" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Brilliant Heavy Hammered Crashes, 21" Ghost Ride, 18" Extra Dry China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-brann-dailor](https://metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-brann-dailor)* *[Bill Ward drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/bill-ward)* *[Brann Dailor drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/brann-dailor)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-08 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*