# Lars Ulrich vs Bill Ward — Metallica's Thrash Backbone vs Black Sabbath's Metal Originator | MetalForge > Side-by-side comparison between Lars Ulrich (Metallica) and Bill Ward (Black Sabbath). **Category:** Thrash Metal / Heavy Metal Origins · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/lars-ulrich-vs-bill-ward Metallica's Lars Ulrich vs Black Sabbath's Bill Ward pits metal's two founding fathers against each other across a thirteen-year generational gap. Ward co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 and helped invent heavy metal drumming's rhythmic vocabulary from a jazz-swing foundation. Ulrich co-founded Metallica with James Hetfield in 1981 and built thrash metal's mainstream, stadium-scale foundation. This comparison covers technique, gear, band context, and founding-father influence across both drummers' careers. --- ## At a Glance | Spec | Bill Ward | Lars Ulrich | |------|-----------|-------------| | Drums | Ludwig Super Classic / Classic Maple | Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch | | Cymbals | Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series | Zildjian A Custom Series | | Snare | Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 | Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature 14x6.5" | | Pedals | Ludwig Speed King (single pedal) | Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide (double pedal) | | Sticks | Vic Firth American Classic 2B | Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Bill Ward Setup - **Drums:** Ludwig Super Classic / 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 Speed King (single bass drum pedal) — no double bass - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 2B Bill Ward's Ludwig kit is the foundational setup behind some of the heaviest records of the 1970s. On landmark albums including [Black Sabbath](https://metalforge.io/articles/black-sabbath-drum-setup) (1970), [Paranoid](https://metalforge.io/articles/paranoid-drum-setup) (1970), and [Master of Reality](https://metalforge.io/articles/master-of-reality-drum-setup) (1971), Ward paired a Ludwig Super Classic kit with Paiste 2002 and Giant Beat cymbals, favoring a raw, swinging feel over technical flash. He drove all of it with a single Ludwig Speed King bass drum pedal — no double kick — relying entirely on foot precision and swing feel to carry Sabbath's doom-laden grooves. ### Lars Ulrich Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch - **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom Series (14" Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Crashes, 20" China, 22" Ride) - **Snare:** Tama LU1465 Lars Ulrich Signature 14x6.5" - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double bass pedals - **Sticks:** Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature (aluminum) Lars Ulrich's Tama Starclassic setup is the configuration behind Metallica's thunderous live sound across four decades. His Tama LU1465 signature snare delivers the sharp crack and exceptional projection that anchors classics like [Master of Puppets](https://metalforge.io/articles/master-of-puppets-drum-setup) (1986) and [...And Justice for All](https://metalforge.io/articles/and-justice-for-all-drum-setup) (1988), while Tama Iron Cobra double bass pedals drive the fast, consistent double kick patterns that define Metallica's thrash rhythms. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Bill Ward co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 alongside Ozzy Osbourne, Tony Iommi, and Geezer Butler, and, shaped by jazz heroes Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, built his style on open, swinging jazz feel rather than rock power. His loose grip and behind-the-beat phrasing gave early Sabbath riffs like "Iron Man" and "War Pigs" a heavy, rolling groove that no other rock drummer of the era was playing — a rhythmic approach that effectively invented heavy metal drumming's vocabulary from scratch across "Black Sabbath" (1970), "Paranoid" (1970), and "Master of Reality" (1971). Lars Ulrich co-founded Metallica with James Hetfield in 1981, building thrash metal's mainstream foundation on groove-oriented mid-tempo power and double bass intensity on the speed tracks. Ulrich is a feel-driven player whose drumming serves Metallica's songs above all else — his powerful, punchy patterns and signature fills lock in with Hetfield's rhythm guitar to create one of metal's tightest rhythm section bonds, driving "Kill 'Em All" (1983), "Master of Puppets" (1986), and "...And Justice for All" (1988). --- ## Key Differences The fundamental divergence is invention versus acceleration into the mainstream: Ward invented heavy metal drumming's rhythmic vocabulary in 1968 from a jazz-swing base, while Ulrich built directly on that foundation thirteen years later, turning it into a global commercial phenomenon with Metallica. Pedal philosophy is the starkest gear contrast: Ward's Ludwig Speed King is a single bass drum pedal — he never used a double pedal across his entire Sabbath tenure, relying on foot technique and feel. Ulrich's Tama Iron Cobra double bass pedals are built for the driving double-kick patterns that define modern thrash metal's speed. Cymbal voicing reflects the same gap. Ward's Paiste 2002 and Giant Beat cymbals — including a massive 24" 2002 Ride — are voiced for open, resonant swing. Ulrich's Zildjian A Custom cymbals are voiced for the sharp, cutting articulation thrash metal demands at higher tempos. --- ## Influence & Legacy Bill Ward is widely credited as one of the true originators of heavy metal drumming. His jazz-informed, swinging approach to Black Sabbath's riffs created a rhythmic template that every subsequent metal drummer — including Ulrich — built upon, whether they credit him directly or not. Lars Ulrich co-founded Metallica, the best-selling metal band of all time, and his drumming on "Master of Puppets" and "Ride the Lightning" defined thrash metal's mainstream sound for three decades, shaping how millions of fans perceive metal drumming worldwide. --- ## Verdict Lars Ulrich and Bill Ward are metal's two founding fathers, separated by thirteen years and an entire genre's evolution. Ward invented heavy metal's drumming vocabulary from a jazz-swing foundation with Black Sabbath in 1968, creating the rhythmic DNA that every metal drummer since has built upon. Ulrich took that foundation and, with Metallica from 1981 onward, turned thrash metal into a stadium-filling global phenomenon. Asking "who is more iconic, the Metallica or Black Sabbath drummer?" is really asking whether you value the originator who created the genre or the drummer who made it a worldwide commercial force. --- ## FAQ **Q: Who is more iconic, the Metallica or Black Sabbath drummer?** A: Both are considered founding fathers of metal drumming, but for different reasons. Bill Ward (Black Sabbath) is credited as one of the true originators of heavy metal drumming itself, inventing its jazz-swing-rooted vocabulary in 1968. Lars Ulrich (Metallica) took that foundation and built the mainstream, stadium-scale sound of thrash metal from 1981 onward. Ward is the originator; Ulrich is metal's most commercially iconic drummer. **Q: Did Bill Ward influence Lars Ulrich?** A: Bill Ward's pioneering work with Black Sabbath created the foundational rhythmic vocabulary of heavy metal drumming that every metal drummer who followed, including Lars Ulrich, built upon — even drummers from entirely different subgenres like thrash trace their genre's roots back to Ward's original Sabbath recordings. **Q: What gear do Lars Ulrich and Bill Ward use?** A: Bill Ward played a Ludwig Super Classic/Classic Maple kit with Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series cymbals and a single Ludwig Speed King pedal — no double bass. Lars Ulrich plays a Tama Starclassic Maple/Birch kit with a Tama LU1465 Signature snare, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, and Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide double bass pedals. **Q: Does Lars Ulrich use double bass like modern thrash drummers?** A: Yes — Lars Ulrich uses Tama Iron Cobra double bass pedals for Metallica's faster thrash tracks, unlike Bill Ward, who never used a double pedal across his entire Black Sabbath career and relied entirely on single-pedal foot technique and swing feel. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/lars-ulrich-vs-bill-ward](https://metalforge.io/vs/lars-ulrich-vs-bill-ward)* *[Lars Ulrich drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/lars-ulrich)* *[Bill Ward drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/bill-ward)* *[Master of Puppets drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/master-of-puppets-drum-setup)* *[Paranoid drum setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/paranoid-drum-setup)* *[Bill Ward vs Charlie Benante comparison](https://metalforge.io/vs/bill-ward-vs-charlie-benante)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*