Death Division drummer Tim Yeung recently sat down with Sick Drummer Magazine to talk about drum gear, meeting and playing with some of his favorite rock legends, and taking a musical departure from what he’s known for. Drumming for Morbid Angel, Yeung has become known for blast beats and a lot of double-kick. With the recently-formed Death Division, Yeung said he’s excited to get back to playing rock and roll.

The drummer says he’s been drawing on his favorite classic rock influences, like AC/DC, The Who, Black Sabbath, Fleetwood Mac and Cream. “It’s been especially fun for me because I’m, you know, I’m playing completely differently as opposed to what I usually play,” he said.

For this new band, Yeung is stripping down his kit and using more vintage pieces of gear. Gone are the triggers and the double-kick rolls. Yeung said there’s virtually no double bass in Death Division. He’s playing a DDrum Reflex Powerhouse kit with a 14-inch snare, a 13-inch mounted tom, 16- and 18-inch floor toms, and a 24-inch bass drum. Yeung recently started using Remo drum heads. He’s using Remo White Suede heads on his snare and toms with a Remo Controlled Sound head on his bass drum. With his new kit, he’s also made the switch to the old-school chain-driven Camco pedals. But one thing remains -- his Sabian cymbals.

His stripped-down kit and new approach work well with Death Division’s heavy, driving, melodic sound. Yeung said Morbid Angel fans might not get what they’re doing, but he’s not worried. He’s still playing with Morbid Angel, but he’s excited to take a break from playing at break-neck speeds and do something different.

Death Division, who can be heard on the Gigantour Festival this summer, have yet to sign record label deal, but Yeung said they’ve been talking to some labels. They hope to have a full-length album completed sometime next year. For tour dates and more info, check out Death Division’s Facebook page.

.

More From Noisecreep