Animals as Leaders - Drummer History & Gear | MetalForge

Animals as Leaders History

Animals as Leaders formed in Washington, D.C. in 2007 as a solo project for guitarist Tosin Abasi before expanding into a full band with guitarist Javier Reyes and drummer Navene Koperweis by the time of its 2009 self-titled debut, whose drum parts were programmed rather than performed live, largely by engineer and Periphery guitarist Misha Mansoor. The band's fusion of jazz-fusion harmony, extended-range eight-string guitars, and knotty polyrhythms placed it at the center of the emerging djent movement alongside Meshuggah and Periphery.

Koperweis became the band's first live drummer in 2009 and recorded Weightless (2011) before departing in 2012, replaced by Matt Garstka, whose jazz-fusion background and polyrhythmic command have anchored every subsequent album, including The Joy of Motion (2014), The Madness of Many (2016), and Parrhesia (2022). As an entirely instrumental band with no vocalist, Animals as Leaders relies on its rhythm section and guitar interplay to carry melodic and structural weight that would otherwise fall to a singer.

The band's technical, genre-blending approach — drawing as much from jazz fusion and progressive rock as from metal — helped push djent and instrumental progressive metal into wider recognition during the 2010s, influencing a generation of technically minded metal musicians and drummers. Alongside Periphery and TesseracT, Animals as Leaders is considered one of the genre's defining acts.

Animals as Leaders's Place in Metal Drumming

Matt Garstka's drumming is frequently held up as a model for modern progressive metal: he combines odd-meter independence in the Meshuggah tradition with a jazz-fusion drummer's touch on dynamics and cymbal work, allowing Animals as Leaders' dense, layered compositions to breathe rather than simply grind forward. His playing is widely studied by progressive and technical metal drummers because it treats polyrhythm as a musical tool rather than a display of raw technical difficulty.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is the drummer for Animals as Leaders?

Matt Garstka has been the band's drummer since March 2012, when he replaced Navene Koperweis. He is known for a jazz-fusion approach and polyrhythmic mastery.

Who played drums on Animals as Leaders' 2009 self-titled debut?

No live drummer performed on the 2009 debut -- the drums were programmed, largely by engineer/producer Misha Mansoor (of Periphery), while Tosin Abasi recorded most of the guitar and bass tracks himself.

Is Animals as Leaders a vocal band?

No, Animals as Leaders is an instrumental progressive metal / djent band with no vocalist; the guitar work of Tosin Abasi and Javier Reyes carries the melodic lead role.

Who played drums on Animals as Leaders's "Parrhesia"?

Matt Garstka played drums on "Parrhesia" (2022).