ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, longtime Paiste artist (since 1988), recently visited the Paiste cymbal production facility in Nottwil, Switzerland while touring Europe.

According to a Paiste press release, "[Charlie] took enough time and had plenty of interest and patience to go into the details deeply.

"Charlie was impressed by the landscape the company is located in, the vibe in and around the company and the way Paiste approaches cymbal making. Of course, being a longtime Paiste artist, Charlie anticipated what to expect. The quality, the consistency and the dedication, so to speak, must come from somewhere. Charlie himself, being very meticulous in his own craft of drumming, playing guitar and writing songs, finally got to meet those people who craft a major part of his signature sound.

"When it came to the cymbal hammering, Charlie started out carefully, not to ruin anything on the bronze plate. When he saw the major craftsmen doing it, he felt like that the magic must be in the work overalls. Soon enough, the production manager brought him one to wear. Charlie didn't miss a second to do so and looked like the freshman who's gonna start working right away. That's what he did.

"During the rest of the factory tour, everybody saluted him as the new guy! Too soon it was time to say goodbye and we had to drive back to the venue for soundcheck. Before that we went to the warehouse and grabbed some new cymbals for his live setup and shot a little video interview."

Charlie said: "I had a great experience there, it was a blast!"