# Shannon Larkin vs Bill Ward — Drum Kit Comparison > Side-by-side gear comparison between Shannon Larkin (Godsmack / Ugly Kid Joe / Amen) and Bill Ward (Black Sabbath). **Category:** Alternative / Nu-Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/shannon-larkin-vs-bill-ward Godsmack's Shannon Larkin vs Black Sabbath's Bill Ward. Hard-hitting hard rock groove compared to the jazz-swing foundation of heavy metal itself. Gear, technique, and legacy compared. --- ## Shannon Larkin Setup - **Drums:** ddrum Dios Series - **Cymbals:** Sabian AAX & HHX Series (14" AAX Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" AAX X-Plosion Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride, 10" AAX Splash, 18" AAX Chinese) - **Snare:** ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** DW 9000 Series Double Pedal, ddrum Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 5B ## Bill Ward Setup - **Drums:** Ludwig 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 Atlas Pro Double Pedal, Ludwig Throne - **Sticks:** Vic Firth American Classic 2B ## Playing Style Shannon Larkin has anchored Godsmack since 2002 with a powerful, groove-oriented style built for the band's heavy, riff-driven hard rock, hitting hard while keeping tracks like "I Stand Alone" and "Awake" locked into an accessible pocket. Bill Ward co-founded Black Sabbath in 1968 and, drawing on jazz heroes Gene Krupa and Buddy Rich, built an open, swinging feel that became the rhythmic template for heavy metal itself on "Black Sabbath" (1970) and "Paranoid" (1970). ## Technique Larkin favors hard-hitting, straightforward power over technical flash, prioritizing feel and impact — the same approach that let him briefly fill in for Black Sabbath's touring lineup for one show in 1997. Ward's loose grip and behind-the-beat phrasing gave early Sabbath riffs a rolling, jazz-informed swing that no other rock drummer of the era was playing, relying entirely on single-pedal technique with no double bass. ## Key Differences Larkin plays a ddrum Dios Series kit with a ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple snare and Sabian AAX & HHX Series cymbals, powered by a DW 9000 Series double pedal. Ward played a Ludwig Classic Maple kit with a Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 snare and Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series cymbals, including a massive 24" 2002 Ride, driven by a single pedal. Larkin favors hard-hitting, straightforward power over technical flash, prioritizing feel and impact — the same approach that let him briefly fill in for Black Sabbath's touring lineup for one show in 1997. Ward's loose grip and behind-the-beat phrasing gave early Sabbath riffs a rolling, jazz-informed swing that no other rock drummer of the era was playing, relying entirely on single-pedal technique with no double bass. ## Influence & Legacy Larkin became Godsmack's longest-serving drummer, giving the band's multi-platinum hard rock sound its consistent heavy backbone across two decades. Ward is widely credited as one of the true originators of heavy metal drumming — every metal drummer who followed, including Larkin, built on the rhythmic vocabulary he created with Sabbath. ## Verdict Shannon Larkin and Bill Ward represent two eras of the same hard-hitting, groove-first lineage that runs from Black Sabbath through modern hard rock. Ward invented the jazz-swung, riff-driven foundation of heavy metal drumming in 1968; Larkin carried that hard-hitting, song-serving philosophy into Godsmack's platinum-selling 21st-century sound, even briefly filling in for Black Sabbath's touring lineup in 1997. Both prioritize power and groove over technical spectacle, and both remain indispensable architects of hard rock's heaviest drumming lineage. ## FAQ **Q: What are the main differences between Shannon Larkin's and Bill Ward's drum kits?** A: Shannon Larkin plays ddrum Dios Series with Sabian cymbals, while Bill Ward uses Ludwig Classic Maple with Paiste cymbals. Larkin plays a ddrum Dios Series kit with a ddrum Dios 14x6.5" Maple snare and Sabian AAX & HHX Series cymbals, powered by a DW 9000 Series double pedal. Ward played a Ludwig Classic Maple kit with a Ludwig Supraphonic 14x6.5" LM402 snare and Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series cymbals, including a massive 24" 2002 Ride, driven by a single pedal. **Q: What drums does Shannon Larkin play vs Bill Ward?** A: Shannon Larkin plays ddrum Dios Series. Bill Ward plays Ludwig Classic Maple. **Q: Who is the better alternative / nu-metal drummer, Shannon Larkin or Bill Ward?** A: Both are legends in their own right. Shannon Larkin and Bill Ward represent two eras of the same hard-hitting, groove-first lineage that runs from Black Sabbath through modern hard rock. See the full analysis at [metalforge.io/vs/shannon-larkin-vs-bill-ward](https://metalforge.io/vs/shannon-larkin-vs-bill-ward). **Q: What cymbals do Shannon Larkin and Bill Ward use?** A: Shannon Larkin uses Sabian AAX & HHX Series (14" AAX Stage Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" AAX X-Plosion Crashes, 21" HHX Raw Bell Dry Ride, 10" AAX Splash, 18" AAX Chinese). Bill Ward uses Paiste 2002 & Giant Beat Series (15" Giant Beat Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" 2002 Crashes, 24" 2002 Ride, 18" 2002 China). --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/shannon-larkin-vs-bill-ward](https://metalforge.io/vs/shannon-larkin-vs-bill-ward)* *[Shannon Larkin drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/shannon-larkin)* *[Bill Ward drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/bill-ward)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-07 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*