August Burns Red 'Phantom Anthem' Drum Setup (Matt Greiner, 2017) | MetalForge
Matt Greiner recorded Phantom Anthem (2017) on a Mapex Black Panther Design Lab kit with a Mapex Black Panther 14" x 5.5" Maple snare.
Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Matt Greiner used on August Burns Red's Grammy-nominated Phantom Anthem (2017). Complete breakdown of the Mape...
Frequently Asked Questions
What cymbals does Matt Greiner use on Phantom Anthem?
On *Phantom Anthem* (2017), Matt Greiner switched from Meinl Byzance to a hybrid Zildjian A Custom / Sabian AAX setup — the main gear change for this specific album, on top of the bigger 2016 switch from Pearl to Mapex Black Panther Design Lab drums. The Zildjian A Custom series delivers a brighter, more aggressive top-end character suited to *Phantom Anthem*'s denser production, while the Sabian AAX China provides cutting accent character. For comparison with his earlier Byzance setup, see the [Found in Far Away Places drum setup](/articles/found-in-far-away-places-drum-setup).
Was Phantom Anthem Grammy-nominated?
Yes. "King of Sorrow" from *Phantom Anthem* (2017) was nominated for Best Metal Performance at the 60th Grammy Awards in January 2018 — the highest single-track recognition of August Burns Red's career. Matt Greiner's drumming on the track — blast sequences, ghost note layers, and blast-to-groove transitions executed on the Mapex Black Panther Design Lab kit — was a central factor in what made the track Grammy-eligible.
What tuning does Matt Greiner use on Phantom Anthem?
Greiner tunes his Mapex Black Panther maple snare at medium tension — warmth and articulation across the dynamic range, preserving both ghost note sensitivity and the projection of power accent strokes. Mapex Black Panther Design Lab toms are tuned for articulate attack rather than warmth, suiting *Phantom Anthem*'s compressed, aggressive production. Kick drums use Evans EMAD2 heads for focused low-end attack. For his complete current tuning philosophy, see the [Matt Greiner complete drum setup guide](/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup).
How does Phantom Anthem fit in the August Burns Red discography?
*Phantom Anthem* (2017) fills the gap between *Found in Far Away Places* (2015) — ABR's Gold-certified commercial peak — and *Beacon* (2023), their most recent studio record. It's the album that earned ABR's highest Grammy recognition with "King of Sorrow" (Best Metal Performance nomination, 2018). Greiner's switch from Pearl to Mapex Black Panther Design Lab and DW 9000 Series in 2016 was already settled by this point, while the cymbal shift to Zildjian A Custom / Sabian AAX marks the key sonic evolution for this album. See the full ABR arc: [Leveler (2011)](/articles/leveler-drum-setup) → [Found in Far Away Places (2015)](/articles/found-in-far-away-places-drum-setup) → Phantom Anthem (2017).