Matt Halpern's Drum Setup on Periphery II: This Time It's Personal (2012) | MetalForge

Frequently Asked Questions

What drums did Matt Halpern use on Periphery II: This Time It's Personal?

Matt Halpern recorded Periphery II: This Time It's Personal (2012) on a Yamaha kit, continuing with the maple-shell configuration he had used on Periphery's 2010 self-titled debut, within the Yamaha endorsement that ran from 2010 to 2015. The setup featured a single 22-inch by 18-inch bass drum, 10-inch and 12-inch rack toms, and 14-inch and 16-inch floor toms. Periphery II sits at the midpoint of Halpern's Yamaha era, three years before his 2015 switch to Pearl. The Yamaha maple shells gave the album's drum tracks their warm, articulate character that defined the early Periphery sound.

What cymbals did Matt Halpern use on Periphery II?

Periphery II (2012) documented Matt Halpern on the Meinl Byzance setup he had already established on the self-titled debut, continuing unchanged into the follow-up. The Byzance series' handcrafted B20 bronze construction offered a dark, complex character well suited to Periphery II's extended arrangements and the dynamic range of tracks like 'Scarlet' and 'Mile Zero.' This settled configuration laid the foundation for the comprehensive Meinl Byzance arsenal Halpern continued to build out through Periphery III and beyond.

What makes Matt Halpern's drumming on Periphery II stand out?

Periphery II: This Time It's Personal is widely regarded as the album that elevated djent drumming into a global conversation. Tracks like 'Make Total Destroy,' 'Scarlet,' and 'Mile Zero' showcase Halpern at his most technically expansive to that point — faster kick patterns than the debut, more aggressive double-kick passages, and a ghost note vocabulary that turns complex rhythmic frameworks into groove. What sets Halpern apart on this album is the same quality that defined the debut: his ability to make mathematically intricate patterns feel like music rather than exercises. The album introduced millions of metal listeners to the idea that progressive drumming could be both technically demanding and emotionally resonant.

Who produced Periphery II: This Time It's Personal?

Periphery II: This Time It's Personal was produced by Misha Mansoor, the band's guitarist and primary songwriter, working out of his personal studio setup. This continued the home-studio approach that had defined the 2010 self-titled debut, allowing the band maximum control over the production process and maintaining the directness that had made the first album's drum sound so effective. The production represented a refinement of the debut's approach — denser guitar arrangements, more complex low-end, and drum sounds that sat with greater authority in the mix.