Matt Greiner's Drum Setup on August Burns Red's Constellations (2009) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Matt Greiner use on Constellations?

On *Constellations* (2009), Matt Greiner played his Mapex Saturn IV kit — a four-piece configuration with dual 22" x 18" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms. The Saturn IV's hybrid maple/walnut shells gave the album its characteristic combination of attack and body. Greiner has been a Mapex artist throughout his career, and the Saturn era — *Messengers* (2007), *Constellations* (2009), and the bridge to *Leveler* (2011), when he briefly moved to Ludwig Classic Maple — defined ABR's breakthrough drum sound. For his current setup and career evolution, see the [Matt Greiner complete drum setup guide](/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup).

Who produced the drums on Constellations and where was it recorded?

*Constellations* was produced by Jason Suecof at his Audiohammer Studios in Sanford, Florida — the same producer-studio combination ABR would use again for *Leveler* (2011). By 2009, Suecof was already one of the most in-demand metal producers in the United States, with credits including Trivium, The Black Dahlia Murder, Whitechapel, and many others. The *Constellations* sessions captured Greiner's drums with the modern, intimate, close-miked sound that defined late-2000s metalcore production — tight grids, sample reinforcement on kicks and snare, and minimal room ambience. The result is a drum tone that's aggressive and articulate without sounding sterile. See the recording techniques section above for full microphone and editing detail.

What cymbals did Matt Greiner use on Constellations?

On *Constellations* Matt Greiner played Zildjian A Custom and Z Custom cymbals — A Custom Mastersound hi-hats, A Custom Fast and Medium crashes, a Z Custom Rock Crash for the heaviest sections, an A Custom Ping Ride, an A Custom China, and an A Custom Splash. The dual-series approach gave him the bright articulation of the A Custom line for the album's articulate playing combined with the cutting heaviness of the Z Custom Rock Crash for the breakdowns. Greiner later moved to Paiste 2002 for *Leveler* (2011) and eventually to Meinl Byzance for the modern ABR era. For the cymbal evolution across his career, see the [Matt Greiner complete drum setup guide](/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup).

How does the Constellations drum sound compare to Leveler?

*Constellations* (2009) and *Leveler* (2011) represent two distinct chapters in Matt Greiner's recorded sound. *Constellations* used the Mapex Saturn IV — hybrid maple/walnut shells with a brighter, more attack-focused character — paired with Zildjian A/Z Custom cymbals and the Pearl Demon Drive direct-drive pedal. The result is the unmistakably modern late-2000s metalcore sound: precise, aggressive, articulate. *Leveler*, recorded with the same producer at the same studio just two years later, replaced the Mapex with a Ludwig Classic Maple kit and the Zildjians with Paiste 2002 cymbals — a warmer, more complex tonal approach that suited *Leveler*'s more progressive songwriting. For full context, see the [Leveler drum setup article](/articles/leveler-drum-setup) and the [Matt Greiner complete drum setup guide](/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup).

What snare did Matt Greiner use on Constellations?

Matt Greiner's snare on *Constellations* came from Mapex's Black Panther series — the company's flagship snare line. The 14" x 6.5" depth delivered the body and projection the Audiohammer production demanded, with either all-maple or all-birch shell construction depending on the session. Paired with an Evans Genera HD batter head and tuned to a medium-high tension, the Black Panther provided the cutting backbeat and sensitive ghost note response that Greiner's playing required. The signature snare moment is the verse pattern on "Marianas Trench," where the snare sits forward in the mix with unusual presence — partly mix decisions, partly the Black Panther's natural projection.