We recently caught up with Black Label Society sticksman Will Hunt and got a guided tour of his European set-up. Take a look below to see for yourself.
Choosing a set-up
"Depending on what band I'm in that dictates what I'll use. With Black Label I'm using two 22"x18" kicks. In the UK it's a Pearl Masters Custom, I use the Reference kit in the States. It's a 12"x9" tom a 16"x16" floor and an 18"x18" floor and then I have the 14"x6.5" Ultra Cast snare. It's really think and heavy. It's aluminium but it sounds like a wood drum, which I dig."
Getting Will's sound
"Soundwise, particular for this, I like really punch with a lot of dynamic. The snare's got to cut through all of the guitar. With this band I don't really need any higher toms because there's not any complex or fast tom fills, usually the fastest thing I'll do is off the tom with the kicks, like cannons going off the whole time."
Will vs Ray vs Neil
"I use all Zildjian cymbals. I'm using the Z3s right now. It took me a little bit to get used to them because they're not as loud but I like them a lot better. It's like between an A and a Z Custom. I'm using a 21" Power Bell ride, two 19"s on my right, one is a Thrash Ride and I like to ride on that. On my left I have two 18"s, all medium thickness. I've got a 10" Splash and 14" Rock Hats. With Evanescence that changes, I use a lot more brass and have effects cymbals, like Ray from Korn, he's got crazy cymbals. We laughed about our cymbal set-ups and that the only person that had more is Neil Peart."
Heads and hardware
"I'm an Evans guy. I usually use an ST or the EQ on the snare. I also use the Hybrid heads, that definitely cranks, it's good for this type of music. Toms and the kicks I use the Onyx. They've got a lot of attack and they're really tough.
"All Pearl hardware. I'm using the new Demon Drive pedals. You can do anything with those. You can make it a long board pedal or a regular pedal, or direct drive. It's really cool."
Sticks
"I'm a Vater guy. I use the Virgil Donati Blaster. They make them for me without any lacquer. I was the first guy they started making those for and then they realised there was a market for them. The lacquer doesn't agree with my hands."
Brand new toy
"Pearl's just made me a new kit that I'll be picking up in the States. Depending on what band I'm in I change what I have. So they made me kit with two 22" kicks. It's fat black with black chrome hardware. I've got a 10", 12", 16" 18" but then they also made me a 26"x16" kick and I've got two gong drums."
