# Matt Halpern's Drum Setup on Periphery III: Select Difficulty (2016)

> Complete breakdown of Matt Halpern's drum setup on Periphery III: Select Difficulty (2016) — the Grammy-nominated record that brought djent to the Recording Academy's attention. Mapex Saturn kit, full Meinl Byzance cymbal arsenal, and the performances on "The Price Is Wrong" and "Motormouth" that earned Periphery a Best Metal Performance nomination.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Matt Halpern](/llms/drummers/matt-halpern.md)
**Band / Album:** Periphery — *Periphery III: Select Difficulty* (2016)
**Genre:** Djent / Progressive Metal
**Label:** Sumerian Records
**Producer:** Misha Mansoor
**Studio:** Misha Mansoor's personal studio

## Overview

Released on July 22, 2016 via Sumerian Records, Periphery III: Select Difficulty is the album that brought progressive metal drumming to the attention of the Recording Academy. The record earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for the track "The Price Is Wrong" at the 59th Grammy Awards in 2017 — the first Grammy nomination for any djent-identified artist, a recognition that the subgenre had crossed from underground phenomenon into mainstream critical consideration.

For Matt Halpern, Select Difficulty represents the full flowering of the gear transition that had been underway since Periphery II. By 2016, Halpern had been a Mapex endorsee for approximately two years, and the Mapex Saturn kit — with its maple-and-walnut hybrid shell construction and SONIClear bearing edges — had become fully integrated into his playing identity. The Meinl Byzance cymbal setup was now comprehensive and defined, providing the dark, handcrafted B20 bronze character that had become his sonic signature. DW 9000 double pedals anchored the hardware, and Vic Firth's Matt Halpern signature sticks were his established recording and touring choice.

The album itself is Periphery's most compressed and direct statement to that point. At 43 minutes across nine tracks, it dispensed with sprawling ambition in favor of songs that were dense and focused — every riff earning its place, every drum fill executing a compositional purpose. Tracks like "The Price Is Wrong," "Motormouth," "Catch Fire," "Lune," and "Marigold" demonstrate Halpern integrating his most aggressive double-kick vocabulary with the ghost-note sophistication that had always been his technical foundation.

Jens Bogren mixed the album, bringing the Fascination Street Studios clarity that had served Opeth, Arch Enemy, and countless progressive metal acts. The drum sound on Select Difficulty is the clearest, most modern presentation of Halpern's playing on record to that point — the Mapex Saturn's punch and the Meinl Byzance's complexity captured with production precision that made the Grammy recognition feel inevitable in retrospect.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Mapex Saturn (maple/walnut hybrid shells, SONIClear bearing edges)
- **Bass Drum:** 22" x 18" single bass drum
- **Toms:** 10" x 7", 12" x 8" rack toms; 14" x 14", 16" x 16" floor toms
- **Snare:** Mapex Black Panther Design Lab 14" x 6" (various shell materials)
- **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance (Dual hi-hats, Extra Dry crashes, Traditional crashes, Extra Dry ride, Brilliant China, Trash Stacks)
- **Pedals:** DW 9000 Double Pedal
- **Hi-Hat Stand:** Mapex Falcon Series
- **Throne:** Mapex Saddle Throne
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth Matt Halpern Signature
- **Heads:** Evans EMAD2 (kick batter), Evans G2 Coated (tom batter), Evans UV1 (snare batter), Evans Hazy 300 (snare resonant)

### The Mapex Saturn: Flagship Kit in Full Integration

The Mapex Saturn's maple-and-walnut hybrid shell construction was central to Select Difficulty's drum character. Maple contributed warmth and sustain; walnut added focused attack at the top end. The combination gave the Saturn a character that served both the aggressive passages of "The Price Is Wrong" and "Motormouth" and the dynamic sensitivity required for the ghost-note vocabulary on "Lune" and "Catch Fire." The SONIClear bearing edges ensured consistent tuning behavior at all velocity levels — essential for a drummer whose playing spans extreme dynamic range within individual tracks.

The transition from DW Collector's Series to Mapex Saturn brought audible changes to the drum sound. The Saturn's maple-walnut hybrid configuration produced more focused attack than the pure maple DW shells, giving snare and tom hits a tighter, more modern character that suited the increased production precision of Bogren's mix. The drum sound on Select Difficulty is sharper and more forward than any previous Periphery record.

### The Meinl Byzance Arsenal: Fully Established

By Periphery III, the Meinl Byzance cymbal setup was the comprehensive, deeply familiar system that had begun its evolution with Periphery II. The 14" Byzance Dual hi-hats provided articulation for the album's intricate hi-hat work; the Extra Dry crashes offered fast attack and quick decay for rapid accent-heavy passages; the 22" Byzance Extra Dry Medium Ride delivered defined ping for extended riding sections. The Byzance series' dark character complemented rather than competed with the guitar arrangements — crashes accent without dominating, hi-hats articulate without brightness excess.

### Grammy-Nominated Performance: "The Price Is Wrong"

"The Price Is Wrong" features some of Halpern's most aggressive double-kick work within the djent framework, paired with the ghost-note vocabulary and dynamic range that had defined his playing since the self-titled debut. The DW 9000 double pedal's chain drive and Floating Rotor system provided the adjustable, responsive feel that Halpern needed to navigate the track's demands — aggressive enough for the heaviest passages, controlled enough for the micro-timing that keeps even the densest djent grooves musical.

## Key Facts

- Released July 22, 2016 on Sumerian Records — Grammy nominated for Best Metal Performance ("The Price Is Wrong")
- First Grammy nomination for any djent-identified artist — formal recognition by the Recording Academy
- Mapex Saturn (maple/walnut hybrid, SONIClear edges) — full Mapex endorsement era in prime configuration
- Meinl Byzance setup fully established: Dual hi-hats, Extra Dry crashes, Extra Dry ride, Brilliant China, Trash Stacks
- DW 9000 double pedals for consistent, adjustable response across all of the album's demands
- Nine tracks, 43 minutes — Periphery's most focused and direct studio statement to 2016
- Jens Bogren mixing at Fascination Street Studios — sharpest drum production of the Periphery catalog to this point
- Mapex Black Panther Design Lab snare (various shell materials) for recording flexibility across moods
- Estimated kit value: $4,500-7,000 (Mapex Saturn shell pack, 2016 era)
- Estimated cymbal value: $2,500-3,500 (full Meinl Byzance setup)

**Related articles:** [Periphery II Drum Setup](/articles/periphery-ii-drum-setup) · [Periphery IV: Hail Stan Drum Setup](/articles/periphery-iv-drum-setup) · [Matt Halpern Drummer Profile](/drummer/matt-halpern)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/periphery-iii-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-27 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*