Hellhammer vs Jaska Raatikainen — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Hellhammer (Mayhem) vs Jaska Raatikainen (Children of Bodom). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Hellhammer use?
Hellhammer uses Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech with Paiste (14" RUDE Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" RUDE Crashes, 20" RUDE Ride, 18" RUDE China). Hellhammer plays a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech kit with a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech snare and Paiste RUDE Series cymbals, driven by an Axis Double Pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Jaska Raatikainen plays a Pearl Masters Premium Maple kit with a Pearl Masters 14x5.5" Maple snare and Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series cymbals (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride, 18" China), powered by a Pearl Eliminator double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks.
What drum kit does Jaska Raatikainen use?
Jaska Raatikainen uses Pearl Masters Premium Maple with Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride). Hellhammer plays a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech kit with a Sonor SQ2 Heavy Beech snare and Paiste RUDE Series cymbals, driven by an Axis Double Pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5B sticks. Jaska Raatikainen plays a Pearl Masters Premium Maple kit with a Pearl Masters 14x5.5" Maple snare and Zildjian A Custom & K Custom Series cymbals (14" A Custom Hi-Hats, 17" & 18" A Custom Crashes, 20" K Custom Ride, 18" China), powered by a Pearl Eliminator double pedal and Vic Firth American Classic 5A sticks.
Which is better, Hellhammer or Jaska Raatikainen?
Hellhammer and Jaska Raatikainen are two of Nordic extreme metal's most consequential drummers, built on very different rhythmic philosophies. Hellhammer's cold, atmosphere-first blast beats defined Norwegian black metal's sound starting in the late 1980s. Raatikainen spent 26 unbroken years anchoring Children of Bodom's neoclassical melodic death metal with surgical, melodically aware precision. Both prove Nordic extreme metal drumming can be technically punishing without sacrificing identity — Hellhammer through raw atmosphere, Raatikainen through melodic restraint.