# Nick Augusto vs Blake Richardson — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Nick Augusto (ex-Trivium) and Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me). **Category:** Progressive Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/nick-augusto-vs-blake-richardson Trivium's Nick Augusto vs Between the Buried and Me's Blake Richardson. Modern technical metalcore speed versus progressive death metal complexity. Gear, technique, and legacy compared. --- ## Nick Augusto Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX Series (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China) - **Snare:** Pearl Reference 14x6.5" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal, Pearl D-2000 Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 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 Nick Augusto joined Trivium as a drum technician before stepping in as the band's touring and studio drummer, ultimately recording two studio albums, "In Waves" (2011) and "Vengeance Falls" (2013), across a tenure from 2009 to 2014. His background in grindcore band Maruta and Metal Militia (alongside future Trivium bassist Paolo Gregoletto) gave his Trivium tenure an aggressive, high-speed foundation. Blake Richardson has anchored Between the Buried and Me since early 2005, replacing founding drummer Jason Roe and becoming central to the band's evolution into one of progressive metal's most acclaimed acts across landmark records like "Colors" (2007), "The Great Misdirect" (2009), and "Colors II" (2021), the latter earning a Grammy nomination. ## Technique Augusto's playing favors powerful, speed-driven metalcore fundamentals — tight, aggressive double bass work and straightforward technicality built to serve Trivium's thrash-influenced songwriting rather than to showcase complexity for its own sake. Richardson fuses death metal precision with jazz influences, drawing on heroes like Terry Bozzio, Dennis Chambers, and Tomas Haake to build complex blast beats, constantly shifting odd time signatures, and fill-heavy arrangements that treat the drum kit as a compositional voice within BTBAM's genre-blending progressive death metal. ## Key Differences Nick Augusto played a Pearl Reference Pure kit with a Pearl Reference 14x6.5" brass snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China), powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit 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, 10" HH Duo Splash, 9" Radia Cup Chime), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals and Vic Firth American Classic 3A sticks. Augusto's playing favors powerful, speed-driven metalcore fundamentals — tight, aggressive double bass work and straightforward technicality built to serve Trivium's thrash-influenced songwriting rather than to showcase complexity for its own sake. Richardson fuses death metal precision with jazz influences, drawing on heroes like Terry Bozzio, Dennis Chambers, and Tomas Haake to build complex blast beats, constantly shifting odd time signatures, and fill-heavy arrangements that treat the drum kit as a compositional voice within BTBAM's genre-blending progressive death metal. ## Influence & Legacy Augusto's five-year run helped carry Trivium through a pivotal stretch as the band pushed toward a more thrash-oriented, aggressive sound, and he later formed Corrosion and continued touring with acts including Light the Torch. Richardson's two-decade tenure with Between the Buried and Me has made him one of the most respected and technically proficient drummers in modern progressive metal, with Grammy-nominated work that continues to influence the current generation of technical death metal and djent-adjacent drummers. ## Verdict Nick Augusto and Blake Richardson represent two different technical demands within modern heavy music. Augusto brought fast, aggressive metalcore fundamentals to Trivium during a five-year run that helped sharpen the band's thrash edge. Richardson has spent two decades building Between the Buried and Me's genre-crossing identity through jazz-informed complexity and compositional ambition few drummers attempt. The debate is metalcore speed and power versus progressive death metal's technical and rhythmic depth. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Nick Augusto's and Blake Richardson's drum kits?** A: Nick Augusto plays Pearl Reference Pure with Sabian cymbals, while Blake Richardson uses Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish) with Sabian cymbals. Nick Augusto played a Pearl Reference Pure kit with a Pearl Reference 14x6.5" brass snare and Sabian AAX Series cymbals (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme China), powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit 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, 10" HH Duo Splash, 9" Radia Cup Chime), driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals and Vic Firth American Classic 3A sticks. **Q: What drums does Nick Augusto play vs Blake Richardson?** A: Nick Augusto plays Pearl Reference Pure. Blake Richardson plays Tama Starclassic Bubinga (Custom Finish). **Q: Who is the better progressive metal drummer, Nick Augusto or Blake Richardson?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Nick Augusto and Blake Richardson represent two different technical demands within modern heavy music. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/nick-augusto-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/nick-augusto-vs-blake-richardson). **Q: What cymbals do Nick Augusto and Blake Richardson use?** A: Nick Augusto uses Sabian AAX Series (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 21" Stage Ride, 18" AAXtreme 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/nick-augusto-vs-blake-richardson](https://metalforge.io/vs/nick-augusto-vs-blake-richardson)* *[Nick Augusto drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/nick-augusto)* *[Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-04 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*