# A Matter of Life and Death Drum Setup: Nicko McBrain's Gear on Iron Maiden's 2006 Concept Album

> The complete gear breakdown for Iron Maiden's A Matter of Life and Death (2006). Discover the Premier Artist kit, Paiste Signature cymbals, and progressive drumming technique behind 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg' and Nicko McBrain's performance on Maiden's most ambitious concept album.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Nicko McBrain](/llms/drummers/nicko-mcbrain.md)
**Band / Album:** Iron Maiden — *A Matter of Life and Death* (2006)
**Genre:** Heavy Metal / Progressive Metal
**Chart Peak:** #2 UK, #9 US Billboard 200

## Overview

Released on August 28, 2006, A Matter of Life and Death is widely regarded as Iron Maiden's most ambitious and cohesive concept album — a song cycle exploring war, religion, and mortality across ten tracks with no filler. It debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and reached number nine on the US Billboard 200, the band's highest US chart placement in nearly two decades.

For Nicko McBrain, the album represented a new level of ambition following Dance of Death (2003). Produced again by Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris at Sarm West Studios in London, the album leaned fully into longer, progressive song structures — several tracks exceed seven minutes — and the band performed the entire album in sequence on the supporting tour, a rare move for newly released material.

The album's most iconic track, 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,' became a landmark moment in Iron Maiden's promotional history: ahead of release, the band built a mysterious viral website around the fictional character Benjamin Breeg, generating fan speculation before the song was even heard. Musically, it is one of Nicko's most dynamically demanding performances of the era, alternating between brooding verses and explosive double-time choruses.

A Matter of Life and Death fills the essential gap between [Dance of Death (2003)](/articles/dance-of-death-drum-setup) and [The Final Frontier (2010)](/articles/final-frontier-drum-setup) in Nicko McBrain's 21st-century discography — the album where Iron Maiden's progressive ambitions reached full maturity.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Premier Artist (birch/basswood shells)
- **Snare:** Premier Signia, 14" x 6.5", maple shell
- **Cymbals:** Paiste Signature series
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Premier single bass drum pedal; Premier hi-hat stand; Vic Firth Nicko McBrain Signature sticks
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Clear (kick)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium tension for warmth and dynamic range

### Premier Artist Kit

Nicko McBrain recorded A Matter of Life and Death on the same Premier Artist configuration carried over from Brave New World and Dance of Death — birch/basswood shells, three rack toms (10, 12, and 13 inch), two floor toms (16 and 18 inch), and the single 22-inch bass drum that defines his career. The three-rack-tom setup proved essential on 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg' and 'The Longest Day,' where fills had to navigate extended, multi-section arrangements with significant dynamic contrast.

### Paiste Signature Cymbals

Nicko's Paiste Signature setup carried over directly from Dance of Death — 14-inch Sound Edge hi-hats, 16 and 18-inch Medium Crashes, a 20-inch Power Ride, an 18-inch Thin China, and a 10-inch Splash. The 20-inch Power Ride was central to the album's longer tracks, including 'The Longest Day' and 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg,' maintaining rhythmic focus across extended arrangements.

### 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg' Technique

This track is one of Nicko McBrain's most dynamically demanding performances of the 2000s, alternating between brooding, restrained verses and explosive double-time choruses — all powered by his single bass drum pedal. The track's viral pre-release marketing campaign, built around the fictional Benjamin Breeg character, made it a landmark moment in Iron Maiden's promotional history.

## Key Facts

- A Matter of Life and Death debuted at #2 UK and #9 US Billboard 200 — Iron Maiden's best US chart placement in nearly two decades
- 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg' featured a viral pre-release marketing campaign around a fictional character
- 'The Longest Day' is an eight-minute epic depicting the D-Day landings
- Performed in full album sequence on the supporting world tour — a rare move for new material
- Premier Artist kit and Paiste Signature cymbals carried over from Dance of Death
- Single bass drum throughout — Nicko's lifelong single-pedal commitment
- Recorded at Sarm West Studios, London, produced by Kevin Shirley and Steve Harris
- Widely regarded as a critical high point of Iron Maiden's 21st-century catalog
- Fills the Dance of Death → A Matter of Life and Death → The Final Frontier arc
- Estimated kit value: $2,500–3,500 (2006)

## Internal Links

- [Nicko McBrain Drummer Profile](/drummer/nicko-mcbrain) — complete career gear history and technique
- [Dance of Death Drum Setup (2003)](/articles/dance-of-death-drum-setup) — the preceding album in the arc
- [The Final Frontier Drum Setup (2010)](/articles/final-frontier-drum-setup) — the Grammy-nominated follow-up

## FAQ

**What drums does Nicko McBrain use on A Matter of Life and Death?**
Nicko McBrain recorded A Matter of Life and Death (2006) on a Premier Artist kit — the same configuration carried over from Dance of Death and Brave New World. The setup featured a single 22-inch bass drum, three rack toms (10, 12, and 13 inch), and two floor toms (16 and 18 inch), with birch/basswood shells suited to Kevin Shirley's powerful production at Sarm West Studios.

**Where did A Matter of Life and Death chart?**
A Matter of Life and Death debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart and reached number nine on the US Billboard 200 in August 2006 — Iron Maiden's highest US chart placement in nearly two decades. The album's serious, war-and-mortality concept and uniformly strong songwriting made it a critical high point of the band's 21st-century catalog.

**What is the story behind 'The Reincarnation of Benjamin Breeg'?**
Ahead of release, Iron Maiden built a mysterious viral marketing campaign around Benjamin Breeg, a fictional character presented as if real, generating fan speculation before the song was heard. Musically, it is one of Nicko McBrain's most dynamically demanding performances of the era, alternating between brooding verses and explosive double-time choruses. See the [Dance of Death drum setup article](/articles/dance-of-death-drum-setup) for the preceding album in the arc.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/a-matter-of-life-and-death-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-30 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*