Gene Hoglan vs Tomas Haake — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Gene Hoglan (Death / Testament / Dethklok) vs Tomas Haake (Meshuggah). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Gene Hoglan use?
Gene Hoglan uses Pearl Reference Pure with Sabian AAX Series (15" Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Crashes, 22" Ride, 20" China). Gene Hoglan plays a Pearl Reference Pure kit (a maple/mahogany hybrid shell chosen for tonal clarity at extreme tempos) with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare, Sabian AAX Series cymbals (15" Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Crashes, 22" Ride, 20" China), a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal, Promark 5B sticks, and Evans heads. Tomas Haake plays a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech kit with a massive 24"x18" bass drum and an extended tom range (10", 12", 13", 16", 18") built for Meshuggah's low-end density, paired with Sonor Tomas Haake Signature snares, Sabian HHX & AAX cymbals, dual Tama Speed Cobra single pedals, and Wincent Tomas Haake Signature sticks.
What drum kit does Tomas Haake use?
Tomas Haake uses Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech (24"x18" Bass, 10"x8", 12"x9", 13"x10", 16"x14", 18"x16" Toms) with Sabian HHX & AAX Series (14" HHX Compression Hi-Hats, 15" Artisan Hi-Hats, 19" & 20" & 21" HHX Stage Crashes, 22" Legacy Ride, 19" AAXtreme China). Gene Hoglan plays a Pearl Reference Pure kit (a maple/mahogany hybrid shell chosen for tonal clarity at extreme tempos) with a Pearl Reference 14"x6.5" Brass snare, Sabian AAX Series cymbals (15" Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Crashes, 22" Ride, 20" China), a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal, Promark 5B sticks, and Evans heads. Tomas Haake plays a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech kit with a massive 24"x18" bass drum and an extended tom range (10", 12", 13", 16", 18") built for Meshuggah's low-end density, paired with Sonor Tomas Haake Signature snares, Sabian HHX & AAX cymbals, dual Tama Speed Cobra single pedals, and Wincent Tomas Haake Signature sticks.
Which is better, Gene Hoglan or Tomas Haake?
Gene Hoglan is "The Atomic Clock" — legendary precision earned across 40+ years and 20+ bands of extreme metal. Tomas Haake is the architect of djent, whose two-single-pedal polyrhythmic machine-drumming created an entirely new sub-genre virtually by himself. Gene's machine is calibrated for sustained extreme speed within death and thrash song structures; Tomas's machine is calibrated for mathematical, polymetric complexity. Both represent the pinnacle of inhuman timing in metal — just aimed at very different ends.