# Pete Sandoval vs Flo Mounier — Drum Kit & Gear Comparison | MetalForge > Side-by-side gear comparison between Pete Sandoval (Morbid Angel) and Flo Mounier (Cryptopsy). **Category:** Extreme / Death Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/pete-sandoval-vs-flo-mounier Morbid Angel's Pete Sandoval vs Cryptopsy's Flo Mounier. Two blast beat originators who helped define death metal and grindcore drumming. Speed, brutality, and technique compared. --- ## At a Glance | Spec | Pete Sandoval | Flo Mounier | |------|--------------|-------------| | Drums | ddrum Dios Series | Tama Starclassic Maple | | Cymbals | Sabian AAX Series | Sabian AAX & HHX Series | | Snare | ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple | Tama S.L.P. 14x6.5" G-Maple | | Pedals | ddrum Mercury Double Pedal | Tama Iron Cobra 900 Double Pedal | | Sticks | Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature | Vic Firth American Classic 5A | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Pete Sandoval Setup - **Drums:** ddrum Dios Series - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX Series (14" Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" X-Plosion Crashes, 20" Stage Ride, 18" Chinese) - **Snare:** ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** ddrum Mercury Double Pedal, ddrum Throne - **Sticks:** Ahead Lars Ulrich Signature Pete Sandoval established his legendary status with Morbid Angel before moving to a ddrum endorsement. His stripped-back setup prioritizes function over aesthetics — everything is optimized for maximum speed and power. The ddrum Mercury double pedal is built for the punishment that extreme death metal touring inflicts. Sandoval is as associated with his raw technique as any specific gear choice. ### Flo Mounier Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Maple - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX & HHX Series (14" AAX Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" AAX X-Plosion Crashes, 22" AAX Stage Ride, 19" HHX Evolution O-Zone China) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14x6.5" G-Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Iron Cobra 900 Power Glide Double Pedal, Tama 1st Chair Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5A Mounier's Tama Starclassic Maple kit is a step up in tonal quality — the maple shells deliver a warm, projecting sound even at extreme speeds. His Tama Iron Cobra 900 pedals are trusted throughout the extreme metal world for consistent response under heavy use. Like Sandoval, Mounier endorses Sabian cymbals, though he combines both AAX and HHX lines for a broader sonic palette. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Pete Sandoval is one of the founding fathers of the gravity blast beat — a technique that uses the natural rebound of the stick to achieve superhuman speeds. His work on Morbid Angel albums like *Altars of Madness* and *Blessed Are the Sick* defined Florida death metal drumming and influenced every extreme metal drummer who came after. Sandoval plays with a raw, relentless power that feels genuinely terrifying. Flo Mounier brought technical death metal drumming to new heights of complexity with Cryptopsy. His playing on *None So Vile* is widely considered one of the most demanding drum performances ever recorded — combining extreme speed, jazz-influenced ghost notes, and complex fills in a blizzard of technical brutality. Where Sandoval is about raw power, Mounier is about technical precision at maximum velocity. Both players helped establish the vocabulary of extreme metal drumming, but they come from slightly different traditions — Sandoval from the Florida death metal scene, Mounier from the Canadian technical death metal movement. --- ## Key Differences Sandoval built his legend on raw aggression and pioneering technique with minimal gear concern. Mounier embraces a higher-end setup that reflects his technical approach — Tama quality suits the precision demanded by Cryptopsy's compositions. Both use Sabian cymbals, but Mounier's mix of AAX and HHX offers more tonal variety. Their snare choices tell a story: Sandoval's ddrum Dios snare is functional and punchy; Mounier's Tama S.L.P. G-Maple offers more tonal complexity suited to technical death metal. --- ## Influence & Legacy Pete Sandoval's influence extends through all of extreme metal — his gravity blast technique became standard vocabulary for death and grindcore drummers globally. He is credited as one of the key inventors of modern extreme metal drumming alongside Dave Lombardo and Gene Hoglan. Flo Mounier's influence is especially strong in technical death metal circles. *None So Vile* remains a benchmark album studied by serious drummers. His online presence and teaching work have helped pass advanced techniques to the next generation. --- ## Verdict Pete Sandoval and Flo Mounier are two pillars of extreme metal drumming who approached speed and brutality from different angles. Sandoval is the raw, primal force who helped invent the language; Mounier is the technical master who pushed that language to its outer limits. Both are irreplaceable figures in death metal history. --- ## FAQ **Q: Who is the faster drummer, Pete Sandoval or Flo Mounier?** A: Both are among the fastest drummers in metal history. Pete Sandoval pioneered the gravity blast that enables extreme speeds; Flo Mounier is renowned for sustained technical speed across entire death metal compositions. Measuring who is "faster" is nearly impossible — they represent different dimensions of extreme speed. **Q: What gear does Pete Sandoval use vs Flo Mounier?** A: Pete Sandoval plays ddrum Dios Series drums with Sabian AAX cymbals and ddrum Mercury double pedals. Flo Mounier plays Tama Starclassic Maple drums with Sabian AAX & HHX cymbals and Tama Iron Cobra 900 pedals. **Q: How do Pete Sandoval's cymbals compare to Flo Mounier's?** A: Both players use Sabian cymbals. Sandoval uses the AAX line exclusively for consistent attack at extreme tempos. Mounier combines Sabian AAX and HHX series for a broader sonic range that suits Cryptopsy's technically demanding compositions. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/pete-sandoval-vs-flo-mounier](https://metalforge.io/vs/pete-sandoval-vs-flo-mounier)* *[Pete Sandoval drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/pete-sandoval)* *[Flo Mounier drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/flo-mounier)* --- *Last updated: 2026-06-20 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*