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 Byzance 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 Byzance 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 Byzance 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 Byzance 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.