Ben Koller vs Brann Dailor — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Ben Koller (Converge / Mutoid Man / Killer Be Killed) vs Brann Dailor (Mastodon). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Ben Koller use?
Ben Koller uses Tama Starclassic Maple with Zildjian (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China). Ben Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China), driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Brann Dailor plays a Tama Starclassic Performer B/B kit with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare and Meinl Mb20 & Mb8 Series cymbals, driven by a Tama Speed Cobra double pedal and Vater 5B sticks — both drummers favor Tama shells, but Koller's Zildjian K Dark array is built for raw cut while Dailor's Meinl Mb20 & Mb8 Series setup is chosen for warmth and melodic sustain.
What drum kit does Brann Dailor use?
Brann Dailor uses Tama Starclassic Performer B/B with Meinl Byzance Series (14" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Brilliant Heavy Hammered Crashes, 21" Ghost Ride, 18" Extra Dry China). Ben Koller plays a Tama Starclassic Maple kit with a Tama S.L.P. 14x6" Brass snare and Zildjian K Dark Series cymbals (14" K Dark Thin Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" K Dark Medium Thin Crashes, 21" K Custom Ride, 18" K China), driven by a Tama Iron Cobra 900 double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Brann Dailor plays a Tama Starclassic Performer B/B kit with a Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare and Meinl Mb20 & Mb8 Series cymbals, driven by a Tama Speed Cobra double pedal and Vater 5B sticks — both drummers favor Tama shells, but Koller's Zildjian K Dark array is built for raw cut while Dailor's Meinl Mb20 & Mb8 Series setup is chosen for warmth and melodic sustain.
Which is better, Ben Koller or Brann Dailor?
Ben Koller and Brann Dailor both emerged from the late-1990s/2000s underground to become genre-defining voices, but their paths diverge sharply. Koller channels chaos and raw emotional intensity into Converge's unpredictable mathcore assault — his playing feels dangerous because it is built to feel uncontrolled even when it isn't. Dailor channels flowing, melodic musicality into Mastodon's progressive sludge, treating his kit as a second lead voice while often literally singing lead vocals at the same time. The debate is visceral chaos versus songful complexity — both are essential listening for drummers studying how far outside a traditional backbeat metal drumming can go.