# Jocke Wallgren vs Charlie Benante — Melodic Death Metal vs Thrash Drumming | MetalForge > Side-by-side comparison between Jocke Wallgren (Amon Amarth) and Charlie Benante (Anthrax). **Category:** Melodic Death Metal / Thrash Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/jocke-wallgren-vs-charlie-benante Amon Amarth's Jocke Wallgren vs Anthrax's Charlie Benante pits two distinct heavy metal drumming traditions against each other: melodic death metal's anthemic groove versus thrash metal's syncopated power. Benante joined Anthrax in 1983 and became one of thrash metal's founding architects, appearing on all 11 of the band's studio albums. Wallgren joined Amon Amarth in 2016 and has anchored the band's Viking metal sound through three studio albums since. This comparison covers technique, gear, chart performance, and legacy across both traditions. --- ## At a Glance | Spec | Charlie Benante | Jocke Wallgren | |------|------------------|----------------| | Drums | Tama Starclassic | Pearl Reference Pure | | Cymbals | Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series | Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series | | Snare | Tama Charlie Benante Signature 14x6.5" | Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass | | Pedals | Tama Speed Cobra (double) + Roland electronics | Pearl Demon Drive (double) | | Sticks | Vic Firth Charlie Benante Signature | Vic Firth American Classic 5B | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Charlie Benante Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic - **Cymbals:** Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series (14" Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Crashes, 20" Power Ride, 18" China) - **Snare:** Tama Charlie Benante Signature 14x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Speed Cobra double pedal, Roland electronics - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Charlie Benante Signature Charlie Benante's Tama kit has powered thrash metal's syncopated skank beats since the 1980s, driving records like [Among the Living](https://metalforge.io/articles/charlie-benante-among-the-living-drum-setup) (1987) and [Spreading the Disease](https://metalforge.io/articles/spreading-the-disease-drum-setup) (1985). His signature Tama snare and Paiste RUDE cymbals deliver the aggressive attack that helped define East Coast thrash. ### Jocke Wallgren Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" A Custom Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B Jocke Wallgren's Pearl kit anchors Amon Amarth's anthemic Viking metal groove. His Pearl Reference Brass snare and Zildjian A/K Custom cymbals gave [Jomsviking](https://metalforge.io/articles/jocke-wallgren-drum-setup) (2016) the powerful backbeat and articulate hi-hat work the band's riff-driven arrangements demand. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Charlie Benante joined Anthrax in 1983 and has appeared on all 11 of the band's studio albums, becoming one of thrash metal's founding architects and a pioneer of the blast beat technique on landmark records like "Among the Living" (1987) and "Spreading the Disease" (1985). His technique is built on fast, syncopated skank beats fused with hardcore punk energy, aggressive double bass, and a rhythmic vocabulary that helped define East Coast thrash and crossover thrash alongside bands like S.O.D. Jocke Wallgren joined Amon Amarth in 2016, replacing longtime drummer Fredrik Andersson, and has anchored the band's anthemic Viking metal sound on "Jomsviking" (2016), "Berserker" (2019), and "The Great Heathen Army" (2022). His technique centers on locking a driving double bass pulse to Amon Amarth's riff-driven arrangements, delivering powerful snare backbeats and dynamic mid-section restraint that serve melodic death metal's anthemic, groove-first songwriting rather than thrash metal's stop-start aggression. --- ## Key Differences The core divergence is genre vocabulary: Benante's playing is built around syncopated, stop-start thrash riffing and hardcore-influenced skank beats, while Wallgren's playing serves melodic death metal's more continuous, anthemic riff structures with sustained double bass grooves. Career stage also separates them sharply. Benante is a four-decade veteran who helped invent thrash metal's drumming vocabulary in the 1980s. Wallgren is a modern-era specialist who joined an already-established band in 2016 and has focused on sustaining and evolving its sound across three studio albums. Chart performance tells its own story: "Jomsviking," Wallgren's debut with Amon Amarth, cracked the U.S. Top 20, debuting at No. 19 on the Billboard 200 — a reminder that melodic death metal has found real commercial traction in the streaming era. --- ## Influence & Legacy Charlie Benante helped define East Coast thrash and crossover thrash/hardcore fusion, and his blast beat pioneering influenced extreme metal drummers well beyond Anthrax — he even filled in for the late Vinnie Paul in the reunited Pantera in 2022. Jocke Wallgren represents melodic death metal's modern generation, keeping Amon Amarth's Viking-themed sound commercially vital more than two decades into the band's career and proving the genre can still chart in the U.S. Top 20. --- ## Verdict Jocke Wallgren and Charlie Benante embody two distinct heavy metal drumming traditions rather than a direct rivalry. Benante is a founding thrash metal architect whose blast beat pioneering and East Coast crossover energy shaped an entire genre across four decades with Anthrax. Wallgren is the modern melodic death metal groove specialist keeping Amon Amarth's Viking metal sound charting in the 2020s. Comparing them is comparing thrash metal's syncopated power to melodic death metal's anthemic drive — different traditions, both essential to heavy metal's drumming vocabulary. --- ## FAQ **Q: How does Jocke Wallgren compare to Charlie Benante?** A: They represent two different heavy metal drumming traditions. Charlie Benante is a founding thrash metal architect who helped popularize blast beats with Anthrax starting in 1983. Jocke Wallgren is a modern melodic death metal drummer who has anchored Amon Amarth's Viking metal groove since 2016. Benante's style is syncopated and aggressive; Wallgren's is anthemic and groove-driven. **Q: What gear does Charlie Benante use vs Jocke Wallgren?** A: Charlie Benante plays a Tama Starclassic kit with a Tama Charlie Benante Signature snare and Paiste RUDE & 2002 Series cymbals. Jocke Wallgren plays a Pearl Reference Pure kit with a Pearl Reference Brass snare and Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series cymbals. **Q: Did Amon Amarth's Jomsviking chart well on the Billboard 200?** A: Yes — "Jomsviking" (2016), Jocke Wallgren's first album as Amon Amarth's drummer, debuted at No. 19 on the Billboard 200, cracking the U.S. Top 20 and marking one of the band's strongest chart performances. **Q: What is Charlie Benante known for besides drumming?** A: Beyond his drum work on all 11 Anthrax studio albums, Charlie Benante is Anthrax's main composer, a graphic artist who designed many of the band's album covers and merchandise, and a guitarist who contributed lead guitar to S.O.D.'s "Speak English or Die." In 2022, he filled in on drums for the reunited Pantera. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/jocke-wallgren-vs-charlie-benante](https://metalforge.io/vs/jocke-wallgren-vs-charlie-benante)* *[Jocke Wallgren drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/jocke-wallgren)* *[Charlie Benante drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/charlie-benante)* *[Jocke Wallgren drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/jocke-wallgren-drum-setup)* *[Among the Living drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/charlie-benante-among-the-living-drum-setup)* *[Gene Hoglan vs Charlie Benante comparison](https://metalforge.io/vs/gene-hoglan-vs-charlie-benante)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-02 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*