Sorry to make a habit out of this, but I can’t think of a better place to ask for advice and guidance on this subject. I’m trying to nail down a strategy for mimicking the snare drum sound from Inquisition’s first album: Into the Infernal Regions of the Ancient Cult. It seems to be produced early enough that triggers would not have been used, and that this sound could be acheived mostly organically.

A few fellow drummers have recommended trying an 8 x14 brass or steel snare with a dual ply or thicker-than-normal single ply reso head on the snare drum, and then experimenting with tuning on the batter head.

What combination of heads and snare and tuning would you suggest? Thanks in advance for the help

The distinct thing about Inquisition's drumming is that he has a consistent stroke on the snare during the fast parts, but hits a lot harder during the slow parts, which is when you really hear the "bonk" sound.

Experimenting with tuning on the batter head and snare wires is a good thing to do until you're familiar with how it can be used to change your sound. The top heads, using dual ply or thick single ply is good advice if you're hitting hard anyway.