# Daniel Erlandsson vs Jaska Raatikainen — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Daniel Erlandsson (Arch Enemy) and Jaska Raatikainen (Children of Bodom). **Category:** Extreme / Death / Black Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/daniel-erlandsson-vs-jaska-raatikainen Arch Enemy's Daniel Erlandsson vs Children of Bodom's Jaska Raatikainen. Two melodic death metal peers compared — Swedish anthemic precision versus Finnish neoclassical intensity. Gear, technique, and legacy compared. --- ## Daniel Erlandsson Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure - **Cymbals:** Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride) - **Snare:** Pearl Daniel Erlandsson Signature 14x5.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B ## Jaska Raatikainen Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Masters Premium Maple - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride) - **Snare:** Pearl Masters 14x5.5" Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Eliminator Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A ## Playing Style Daniel Erlandsson has been Arch Enemy's drummer since 2005, anchoring the Gothenburg melodic death metal institution through "Doomsday Machine" (2005), "Rise of the Tyrant" (2007), "Khaos Legions" (2011), "War Eternal" (2014), "Will to Power" (2017), and "Deceivers" (2022) — a run that includes the band's 2014 transition to vocalist Alissa White-Gluz and its growth into one of melodic death metal's biggest global touring acts. Jaska Raatikainen co-founded Children of Bodom in 1993 (originally as Inearthed) alongside the late Alexi Laiho, and remained the band's sole drummer for its entire 26-year run, from the 1997 debut "Something Wild" through 2019's farewell album "Hexed," helping the Finnish band sell over two million albums worldwide before its dissolution and Laiho's death in December 2020. ## Technique Erlandsson brings a clean, high-precision approach to melodic death metal — his blast beats are controlled and even, his double bass patterns are tight and consistent with Arch Enemy's production-forward sound, and his fills are designed to punctuate rather than overwhelm the melodic, guitar-centric compositions built around Michael Amott's riffs. Raatikainen's technique balances death metal velocity with melodic awareness — rapid double bass volleys and blast beats that lock tightly with Children of Bodom's neoclassical riffing and keyboard counterpoint, while his fills are composed to support rather than overwhelm Alexi Laiho's virtuosic guitar lines. ## Key Differences Daniel Erlandsson endorses Pearl drums, playing Pearl Reference Series or Masters Maple kits with Zildjian cymbals — a clean, articulate setup built for Arch Enemy's high-production recording and global touring demands. Jaska Raatikainen played a Pearl Masters Premium Maple kit with a Pearl Masters 14x5.5" maple snare, Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series cymbals (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride), a Pearl Eliminator double pedal, and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks — a Pearl/Zildjian core he trusted essentially unchanged across Children of Bodom's entire 26-year, ten-album catalog. Erlandsson brings a clean, high-precision approach to melodic death metal — his blast beats are controlled and even, his double bass patterns are tight and consistent with Arch Enemy's production-forward sound, and his fills are designed to punctuate rather than overwhelm the melodic, guitar-centric compositions built around Michael Amott's riffs. Raatikainen's technique balances death metal velocity with melodic awareness — rapid double bass volleys and blast beats that lock tightly with Children of Bodom's neoclassical riffing and keyboard counterpoint, while his fills are composed to support rather than overwhelm Alexi Laiho's virtuosic guitar lines. ## Influence & Legacy Erlandsson defined Arch Enemy's modern rhythmic identity — his drumming on "Rise of the Tyrant" and "War Eternal" shaped the band's transition to international metal stardom, and he remains one of the most-watched live drummers in melodic death metal. Raatikainen helped build Finland's melodic death metal scene into a global commercial force; his drumming on records like "Hatebreeder" and "Follow the Reaper" influenced a generation of melodic death and metalcore drummers, and Children of Bodom's catalog remains a foundational reference point for neoclassical extreme metal. ## Verdict Daniel Erlandsson and Jaska Raatikainen represent two of European melodic death metal's defining rhythmic voices from parallel scenes. Erlandsson has spent nearly two decades refining Arch Enemy's anthemic, production-forward Gothenburg sound with clean, controlled precision. Raatikainen spent 26 years — the entirety of Children of Bodom's existence — locking his neoclassical intensity to Alexi Laiho's guitar virtuosity before the band's 2019 dissolution. Both share nearly identical Pearl/Zildjian foundations while representing Sweden's and Finland's distinct takes on melodic death metal's golden era. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Daniel Erlandsson's and Jaska Raatikainen's drum kits?** A: Daniel Erlandsson plays Pearl Reference Pure with Paiste cymbals, while Jaska Raatikainen uses Pearl Masters Premium Maple with Zildjian cymbals. Daniel Erlandsson endorses Pearl drums, playing Pearl Reference Series or Masters Maple kits with Zildjian cymbals — a clean, articulate setup built for Arch Enemy's high-production recording and global touring demands. Jaska Raatikainen played a Pearl Masters Premium Maple kit with a Pearl Masters 14x5.5" maple snare, Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series cymbals (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride), a Pearl Eliminator double pedal, and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks — a Pearl/Zildjian core he trusted essentially unchanged across Children of Bodom's entire 26-year, ten-album catalog. **Q: What drums does Daniel Erlandsson play vs Jaska Raatikainen?** A: Daniel Erlandsson plays Pearl Reference Pure. Jaska Raatikainen plays Pearl Masters Premium Maple. **Q: Who is the better extreme / death / black metal drummer, Daniel Erlandsson or Jaska Raatikainen?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Daniel Erlandsson and Jaska Raatikainen represent two of European melodic death metal's defining rhythmic voices from parallel scenes. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/daniel-erlandsson-vs-jaska-raatikainen](https://metalforge.io/vs/daniel-erlandsson-vs-jaska-raatikainen). **Q: What cymbals do Daniel Erlandsson and Jaska Raatikainen use?** A: Daniel Erlandsson uses Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 22" RUDE Power Ride). Jaska Raatikainen uses Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/daniel-erlandsson-vs-jaska-raatikainen](https://metalforge.io/vs/daniel-erlandsson-vs-jaska-raatikainen)* *[Daniel Erlandsson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/daniel-erlandsson)* *[Jaska Raatikainen drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jaska-raatikainen)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-06 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*