Mapex unveils Aquiles Priester signature snare for heavy metal power

Mapex unveiled the PsychOctopus on June 25 in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee, and the new Aquiles Priester signature snare was built around a simple question drummers ask of artist gear: does it actually work, or just look the part? The answer from the spec sheet leaned hard toward performance. The drum used a 14-inch by 8-inch, 11-ply maple/padauk hybrid shell, a size and construction that pointed toward more depth, more projection and more headroom than a standard shallow signature snare.

The visual package matched the brief. Retail listings identified a Gun Metal Grey finish with black-brushed hardware, while Mapex’s design language gave the drum a dark, aggressive identity to go with Priester’s playing style. The shell wore a 3D-printed badge, and the hardware choices went beyond cosmetics: SONIClear bearing edges, Sonic Saver hoops, in-line locking B-lugs, four air vents, a Cylinder-Drive strainer and Puresound S1430 30-strand wires all pointed to a snare built for response, stability and control under heavy hands.

That is where the PsychOctopus moved past simple fandom. Mapex described the drum as part of a longstanding collaboration with Priester, not a one-off endorsement, and the company framed the snare as a physical extension of a drummer known for speed, precision and volume. On the brand’s artist page, Priester was listed as the No. 1 double-bass player in Modern Drummer readers’ 2020 poll, and Mapex also noted that he received a YouTube award plate after passing 100,000 subscribers on his drum channel. Those are the credentials of a player whose gear has to keep up with relentless footwork and high-tempo metal.

Priester’s broader resume explains why Mapex treated this as more than a collectible. Born June 25, 1971, the Brazilian drummer has been tied to Hangar, Midas Fate, Angra, W.A.S.P. and Noturnall, and his biography says his first Mapex signature kit arrived in July as the first signature kit by a globally recognized company for a Brazilian drummer. The new snare extends that history with a smaller, more targeted piece of hardware.

Price also placed the drum in familiar premium territory. A Thomann listing set the PsychOctopus at $589, which made the model look less like a trophy piece and more like a serious working snare for players who want a deep, articulate voice with enough muscle to cut through modern metal. For buyers weighing signature status against utility, that was the real story hiding inside the badge.