Mike Mangini's Kit on 'Dream Theater' (Dream Theater, 2013) | MetalForge
Mike Mangini recorded Dream Theater (2013) on a Pearl Reference Series (custom configuration) kit with a Pearl Free-Floating Brass Snare snare.
Dream Theater's 2013 self-titled album was Mike Mangini's fully integrated statement — his first album where he helped shape the music from the ground up. Fu...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drums did Mike Mangini use on Dream Theater's self-titled album?
On Dream Theater's 2013 self-titled album, Mike Mangini played his established Pearl Reference Series maple kit — the same setup he has used throughout his Dream Theater tenure. The configuration included a 22" x 18" bass drum, four rack toms (8", 10", 12", 13"), and two floor toms (14" and 16"). For Mangini's complete gear history, see the [Mike Mangini drummer profile](/drummer/mike-mangini) and the [What's in Mike Mangini's Kit article](/articles/whats-in-mike-manginis-kit).
What year was Dream Theater's self-titled album released?
Dream Theater's self-titled album was released September 24, 2013 on Roadrunner Records. It was the band's twelfth studio album and Mike Mangini's second studio recording with Dream Theater, following A Dramatic Turn of Events (2011). The self-titled debuted at number eight on the Billboard 200 and reached number one in both Germany and Greece. It was notably the first Dream Theater album in which Mangini participated as a co-writer from the initial songwriting sessions, rather than recording parts written before his arrival. For context on the album that preceded it, see the [A Dramatic Turn of Events drum setup article](/articles/a-dramatic-turn-of-events-drum-setup).
What cymbal setup did Mike Mangini use in 2013 on the Dream Theater self-titled?
Mike Mangini used a Sabian HHX/AAX cymbal setup throughout the 2013 Dream Theater self-titled sessions — the same combination he has used across his Dream Theater tenure. His configuration included 14" HHX Evolution hi-hats, crashes spanning 16" to 19" across the AAX and HHX lines, a 21" HHX Evolution ride, an 18" AAX Chinese, and a 10" AAX splash. The HHX Evolution cymbals deliver complex, musical tones for the album's quieter passages, while the AAX line provides brighter, more explosive accents for its heavier moments — a palette that suited the album's wide dynamic range from intimate passages through 'Illumination Theory's' 22-minute epic. Full cymbal details at the [Mike Mangini drummer profile](/drummer/mike-mangini).
How is the drum sound on Dream Theater's self-titled different from A Dramatic Turn of Events?
For the 2013 self-titled, Mangini tracked on his established Pearl Reference Series kit, Sabian HHX/AAX cymbals, and Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. What sets the record apart from A Dramatic Turn of Events isn't the equipment — it's the compositional approach: the self-titled was Mangini's first album where he contributed to the songwriting from the ground up, which shaped the rhythmic architecture of tracks like 'Enigma Machine' in ways the 2011 record, written before his arrival, could not. See the [A Dramatic Turn of Events drum setup article](/articles/a-dramatic-turn-of-events-drum-setup) for the full 2011 comparison.