# Brann Dailor vs Blake Richardson — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Brann Dailor (Mastodon) and Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me). **Category:** Progressive Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/brann-dailor-vs-blake-richardson Mastodon's Brann Dailor vs Between the Buried and Me's Blake Richardson. Jazzy sludge fills vs death-metal-precise progressive chaos, gear, and influence compared. --- ## 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 ## 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 ## Playing Style Brann Dailor drives Mastodon's progressive sludge with a melodic, almost lead-instrument approach — jazz-influenced fills and constant rhythmic motion that treat the kit as a singing voice rather than a metronome. Blake Richardson powers Between the Buried and Me's genre-hopping chaos, fusing death metal blast beats, odd time signatures, and jazz sophistication within songs that can shift styles multiple times per minute. ## Technique Dailor's technique favors flowing, syncopated fills that weave in and out of Mastodon's riffs, plus double-duty as lead vocalist while maintaining complex patterns. Richardson navigates BTBAM's rapid tempo and meter changes with explosive blast beat transitions, ghost-note-rich grooves, and twin single-pedal independence that keeps the double kick locked to shifting time signatures. ## Key Differences Dailor plays a Tama Starclassic Performer B/B kit with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals, driven by a Tama Speed Cobra double pedal for fluid double bass under Mastodon's polyrhythmic riffing. Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama STARPHONIC brass snare and Sabian HHX/AAX cymbals, powered by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals for independent double-kick patterns. Dailor's technique favors flowing, syncopated fills that weave in and out of Mastodon's riffs, plus double-duty as lead vocalist while maintaining complex patterns. Richardson navigates BTBAM's rapid tempo and meter changes with explosive blast beat transitions, ghost-note-rich grooves, and twin single-pedal independence that keeps the double kick locked to shifting time signatures. ## Influence & Legacy Dailor helped define the progressive sludge sound and proved a metal drummer could also front a band as co-vocalist, influencing a generation of prog-sludge acts. Richardson has been BTBAM's sole drummer since 2005, shaping how progressive metalcore drummers treat odd time signatures and blast beats as natural vocabulary rather than technical showcases. ## Verdict Brann Dailor and Blake Richardson are two of modern progressive metal's defining rhythmic voices, built for very different bands. Dailor's melodic, flowing fills give Mastodon's sludge-driven riffs a songful lift, while Richardson's precise, blast-capable chaos gives Between the Buried and Me's genre-hopping compositions their whiplash intensity. Both are essential listening for drummers studying how technical skill can serve wildly different musical identities. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Brann Dailor's and Blake Richardson's drum kits?** A: Brann Dailor plays Tama Starclassic Performer B/B with Meinl cymbals, while Blake Richardson uses Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish) with Sabian cymbals. Dailor plays a Tama Starclassic Performer B/B kit with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals, driven by a Tama Speed Cobra double pedal for fluid double bass under Mastodon's polyrhythmic riffing. Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama STARPHONIC brass snare and Sabian HHX/AAX cymbals, powered by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals for independent double-kick patterns. **Q: What drums does Brann Dailor play vs Blake Richardson?** A: Brann Dailor plays Tama Starclassic Performer B/B. Blake Richardson plays Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish). **Q: Who is the better progressive metal drummer, Brann Dailor or Blake Richardson?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Brann Dailor and Blake Richardson are two of modern progressive metal's defining rhythmic voices, built for very different bands. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/brann-dailor-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/brann-dailor-vs-blake-richardson). **Q: What cymbals do Brann Dailor and Blake Richardson use?** A: Brann Dailor uses Meinl Byzance Series (14" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Brilliant Heavy Hammered Crashes, 21" Ghost Ride, 18" Extra Dry China). 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). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/brann-dailor-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/brann-dailor-vs-blake-richardson)* *[Brann Dailor drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/brann-dailor)* *[Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-06 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*