Sonata Arctica's drum gear info
Tommy Portimo used a blue Tama drum kit during late nineties [1]. I assume that kit is his because it's visible in multiple pictures including Pohjolan Sanomat newspaper article and Tornio Jesperi 1999 live gig picture below. There are other drum sets in pictures which are likely borrowed from the venue or another band playing on the same gig. Drum sets take long time to set up on gigs so it's common to share a drum between multiple bands.[2]
The Tama kit had two rack toms and single bass drum. Symbals are standard two crashes, ride and hi-hat. The stands are straight which is suitable for small single bass drum kit.
On Picturing Europe tour Tommy used a borrowed Premier drum kit. Sonata supported their idols Stratovarius on the tour and once he had conversation with Jörg Michael who asked what kind of drum kit Tommy has at home and laughed when Tommy described his small drum set to Jörg. Jörg then offered he could secure an endorsement deal for Tommy.[2]
After the tour in late 2000 or early 2001 Tommy secured a drum endorsement deal with Premier with Jörg Michael. Tommy told Jörg what kind of drums he wanted and how much money he had to spend and Jörg negotiated a deal with discounts. [2] Silence album is the first with Premier deal [3].
Tommys first double bass drum kit was red Premier drum kit which is first seen on Wolf & Raven music video and Tavastia 2001 live gig picture. The Premier kit had three rack toms and two bass drums. It was probably used on Silence and next albums including Reckoning Night.
On Silence tour the symbals were Paiste with two crashes, ride, hi-hat and china. Tommy Portimo mostly used angled individual symbal stands but during Reckoning Night studio sessions there is a rack instead for the first time.
By Winterheart's Guild album was out Tommy was endorsed by Paiste.[4]. During Winterheart's Guild Japan tour he added two splashes and the number of crashes increased from two to four for the first time. On the Winterheart's Guild Japan Tour 2003 picture below you can see the hi-hat is Paiste 802 by the black triangle logo. Perhaps other symbals are 802 series too and I guess Tommy brought his own symbals to Japan since they are easy to carry.
Reckoning Night is the first album with Pro Mark drum stick endorsement [5]. On The Days of Grays he had switched to Balbex sticks and Pearl drums [6]. Pearl endorsement deal provides free drum kits around the world for drummers when they are on tour.