Nick Menza's Drum Setup on Megadeth's Cryptic Writings (1997) | MetalForge
Complete breakdown of Nick Menza's drum gear on Megadeth's Cryptic Writings — his final album with the band. Inside the Tama Artstar kit, Sabian Signature cy...
Frequently Asked Questions
What kit did Nick Menza use on Cryptic Writings?
Nick Menza played a Tama Artstar kit on Cryptic Writings, recorded at The Tracking Room in Nashville in 1996-97. The setup featured twin 22" x 16" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" and 16" floor toms, all birch shells mounted on his signature Greg Voelker stainless-steel dual-rack system, which held the toms on a lower chrome rack and every cymbal on a higher rack with the bass drums floating on a built-in riser.
What Megadeth albums feature Nick Menza on drums?
Nick Menza recorded four studio albums with Megadeth: Rust in Peace (1990), Countdown to Extinction (1992), Youthanasia (1994), and Cryptic Writings (1997). Cryptic Writings was his final album with the band before he was let go in 1998 following complications from knee surgery.
When was Nick Menza's last Megadeth album recorded?
Nick Menza's last Megadeth album, Cryptic Writings, was tracked in late 1996 and early 1997 at The Tracking Room in Nashville, Tennessee, with additional overdubs completed at The Castle in nearby Franklin, Tennessee. It was released on June 17, 1997 and later certified Platinum by the RIAA.
What cymbals did Nick Menza use on Cryptic Writings?
On Cryptic Writings, Nick Menza moved from the Paiste 2002 and Signature cymbals he'd used since Countdown to Extinction to a Sabian Signature and AA series setup, including 14" AA Regular Hi-Hats, a 16" AA Rock Crash, an 18" Signature Crash, a 20" AA Medium Ride, and an 18" AA China. The brighter, more focused Sabian voice suited producer Dann Huff's contemporary, hook-driven rock production.
Why did Megadeth record Cryptic Writings in Nashville instead of their usual studios?
Dave Mustaine brought in Nashville-based producer Dann Huff because the band wanted a different sonic direction after working with Max Norman on Countdown to Extinction and Youthanasia. Huff was known for polished, hook-driven rock production, and relocating to Nashville's The Tracking Room — with overdubs at The Castle in Franklin, Tennessee — gave Cryptic Writings a noticeably more contemporary, radio-ready sound than any previous Megadeth record.