Found in Far Away Places Drum Setup: Matt Greiner's Pearl Reference Pure Kit (2015) | MetalForge
Discover the exact drum kit, cymbals, and gear Matt Greiner used on August Burns Red's Gold-certified Found in Far Away Places (2015). Complete breakdown of ...
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit did Matt Greiner use on Found in Far Away Places?
On *Found in Far Away Places* (2015), Matt Greiner played a Pearl Reference Pure kit — a maple/mahogany hybrid shell set configured with dual 22" bass drums, 10" and 12" rack toms, and a 16" floor tom. The Reference Pure's tighter, more articulate character represented a significant evolution from the Ludwig Classic Maple he used on *Leveler* (2011). For his complete current Pearl setup and endorsement details, see the [Matt Greiner complete drum setup guide](/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup).
What cymbals does Matt Greiner use on Found in Far Away Places?
Matt Greiner used Meinl Byzance Traditional cymbals on *Found in Far Away Places* (2015) — including 14" Medium hi-hats, 16" and 18" crashes, a 20" Medium ride, and an 18" China. The Byzance B20 bronze delivers more controlled, precise decay than the Paiste 2002 cymbals of his *Leveler* era. The shift from Paiste to Meinl Byzance complemented the tighter character of his Pearl Reference Pure kit. For cymbal comparisons across the ABR discography, see the [Leveler drum setup](/articles/leveler-drum-setup) and [Messengers drum setup](/articles/messengers-drum-setup).
What makes 'Ghosts' stand out as a drumming showcase?
"Ghosts" is widely cited as Greiner's most impressive drumming moment on *Found in Far Away Places* because it sustains extended polyrhythmic passages where kick, snare, and hi-hat patterns operate across independent rhythmic cycles simultaneously — a technical demand that goes beyond what most metalcore drummers attempt. Combined with the ghost note density he layers beneath the main groove pattern, "Ghosts" demonstrates Greiner's jazz-informed approach applied to aggressive music: complex rhythmic thinking inside a heavy context. The Pearl Reference Pure's articulate shell character makes the layering audible rather than blurred in the mix.
How does the Found in Far Away Places setup compare to Leveler?
The comparison between *Found in Far Away Places* (2015) and *Leveler* (2011) traces Matt Greiner's complete Pearl transition. On *Leveler*, he played Ludwig Classic Maple drums (6-ply maple, warm/complex), Paiste 2002 cymbals (CuSn8 bronze, sustained warmth), and DW 9000 pedals (cam-driven mechanism). By *Found in Far Away Places*, he had moved to Pearl Reference Pure drums (maple/mahogany hybrid, tighter/articulate), Meinl Byzance cymbals (B20 bronze, controlled decay), and Pearl Demon Drive pedals (shaft-driven mechanism). The trajectory is consistent: greater precision, tighter articulation, more modern production character — while the underlying playing philosophy of jazz-informed musicality within metalcore aggression remained constant. See the full [Leveler drum setup breakdown](/articles/leveler-drum-setup) for a direct comparison.