# Blake Richardson vs Mike Mangini — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me) and Mike Mangini (Dream Theater). **Category:** Progressive Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-mike-mangini Between the Buried and Me's Blake Richardson vs Dream Theater's Mike Mangini. Genre-blending compositional complexity compared to world-record technical precision — gear and technique compared. --- ## 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 ## Mike Mangini Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Series - **Cymbals:** Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" HHX Evolution Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x5" & 14x6.5" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal, Roland SPD-SX Sampling Pad - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Mike Mangini Signature ## Playing Style Blake Richardson has drummed for Between the Buried and Me since 2005, fusing death metal blast beats with jazz fusion sophistication and progressive rock complexity across landmark albums including "Colors" (2007), "The Great Misdirect" (2009), and "Colors II" (2021). Mike Mangini joined Dream Theater in 2010 after winning a highly publicized audition process, bringing a scientific, biomechanically optimized approach to progressive metal built on world-record drumming speed and years as a Berklee College of Music professor. ## Technique Richardson's technique defies categorization, requiring him to shift fluidly between brutal extremity and jazz-informed odd-meter intricacy within a single song, prioritizing serving each composition over technical display for its own sake. Mangini holds multiple Guinness World Records for drumming speed and applies rigorous biomechanical analysis to his playing, favoring hybrid acoustic/electronic setups and exhaustive technical preparation across Dream Theater's complex polyrhythmic material. ## Key Differences Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit (Custom Finish) with a Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass snare and Sabian cymbals (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" HHX Evolution Crash, 17" & 21" AAX Holy Chinas, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals and Vic Firth American Classic 3A sticks. Mike Mangini plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14x5" & 14x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian HHX & AAX Series cymbals (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" HHX Evolution Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride), powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal and a Roland SPD-SX sampling pad — both drummers share a Sabian HHX Evolution cymbal foundation despite very different drum and pedal choices. Richardson's technique defies categorization, requiring him to shift fluidly between brutal extremity and jazz-informed odd-meter intricacy within a single song, prioritizing serving each composition over technical display for its own sake. Mangini holds multiple Guinness World Records for drumming speed and applies rigorous biomechanical analysis to his playing, favoring hybrid acoustic/electronic setups and exhaustive technical preparation across Dream Theater's complex polyrhythmic material. ## Influence & Legacy Richardson's two-decade run with Between the Buried and Me, citing influences like Danny Carey, Sean Reinert, and Bill Bruford, has made him one of the most creative and technically proficient drummers in modern progressive metal. Mangini's world-record speed and scientific approach to drumming influenced the technical and educational drumming communities well before he ever joined Dream Theater, and his tenure has kept the band's most demanding material in world-class hands. ## Verdict Blake Richardson and Mike Mangini share a Sabian HHX Evolution cymbal foundation but arrive at progressive metal from opposite directions. Richardson is Between the Buried and Me's genre-blending compositional chameleon, treating extreme complexity as a vehicle for musicality. Mangini is Dream Theater's record-holding technician, treating drumming as a science of speed and efficiency. Both represent progressive metal's outer technical limits — one through creative unpredictability, the other through calculated precision. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Blake Richardson's and Mike Mangini's drum kits?** A: Blake Richardson plays Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish) with Sabian cymbals, while Mike Mangini uses Pearl Reference Series with Sabian cymbals. Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit (Custom Finish) with a Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass snare and Sabian cymbals (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 18" HHX Evolution Crash, 17" & 21" AAX Holy Chinas, 21" HH Raw Bell Dry Ride), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals and Vic Firth American Classic 3A sticks. Mike Mangini plays a Pearl Reference Series kit with a Pearl Reference 14x5" & 14x6.5" Brass snare and Sabian HHX & AAX Series cymbals (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" HHX Evolution Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride), powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal and a Roland SPD-SX sampling pad — both drummers share a Sabian HHX Evolution cymbal foundation despite very different drum and pedal choices. **Q: What drums does Blake Richardson play vs Mike Mangini?** A: Blake Richardson plays Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish). Mike Mangini plays Pearl Reference Series. **Q: Who is the better progressive metal drummer, Blake Richardson or Mike Mangini?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Blake Richardson and Mike Mangini share a Sabian HHX Evolution cymbal foundation but arrive at progressive metal from opposite directions. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-mike-mangini](https://metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-mike-mangini). **Q: What cymbals do Blake Richardson and Mike Mangini use?** A: 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). Mike Mangini uses Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Evolution Hi-Hats, 17", 18", 19" HHX Evolution Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-mike-mangini](https://metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-mike-mangini)* *[Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)* *[Mike Mangini drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/mike-mangini)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-08 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*