Ugritone has introduced a new virtual drum instrument aimed squarely at fans and producers of heavy and thrash metal. Titled Klangmacht Drums, the VST software brings together the sampling expertise of Ugritone with the drumming of Randy Black, a veteran best known for his work with acts like Primal Fear and Annihilator.
The recordings were completed in Chemnitz, Germany, where Black laid down a series of hard-hitting drum performances. These takes were then carefully edited, layered, and integrated into a digital format, compatible with Kontakt Player. Ugritone’s focus throughout the process was to retain the energy of Black’s playing while ensuring the final instrument would fit into modern production workflows without sounding overly programmed.
The drum sounds lean heavily into the style’s core characteristics: fast tempos, sharp attacks, and tight control. The kit offers deep snares, snappy kicks, and toms with enough punch to cut through dense guitars, all backed by cymbals that provide brightness without losing weight. The sound is raw but usable: something that can work straight from load-in or be tweaked for a more polished result.
Klangmacht also offers multi-mic options, giving users control over different aspects of the sound. You can blend close mics, overheads, and room ambience depending on how tight or wide you want your drum mix to feel. This isn’t an entirely new concept, but the balance here seems to land well. For those working inside DAWs, routing flexibility is built in, so channels can be sent out individually for further mixing or processing.
There’s also some room for customization. While the samples themselves remain consistent, users can tweak pitch and volume for each drum element. MIDI mapping is available, and velocity layers are deep enough to avoid that robotic stiffness that can sneak into programmed drums, particularly in fast metal genres.
Partnering with Randy Black gave the instrument a certain edge. His style: aggressive but precise, has always leaned toward clarity under pressure, something that translates clearly here. The sampling doesn’t over-polish his hits, either. There’s still a bit of air and grit in the snare, and the kicks don’t lose their weight when layered.
The instrument works with the free version of Kontakt Player, which keeps the entry barrier low. It’s designed to plug into any major recording setup without hassle. Whether it’s used for demos, full records, or practice sessions, Klangmacht aims to give players access to a professional drum sound without the overhead of a full studio or session. Plus, it makes for some great produced music that doesn’t come from those boring sample packs.