# Rust in Peace Drum Setup: Nick Menza's Gear Breakdown > Complete breakdown of Nick Menza's drum gear on Megadeth's Rust in Peace. Discover the Tama kit, cymbals, and recording techniques behind one of thrash metal's greatest albums. **Type:** Album Drum Setup **Drummer(s):** Nick Menza **Band / Album:** Megadeth — *Rust in Peace* (1990) **Genre:** Thrash Metal ## Overview Released on September 24, 1990, Megadeth's "Rust in Peace" is widely regarded as one of the greatest thrash metal albums ever recorded — and a strong contender for THE greatest. At the heart of this technical masterpiece was Nick Menza, whose drumming elevated the album from excellent to legendary. Menza joined Megadeth as a drum tech for Chuck Behler before stepping behind the kit himself. His debut album with the band would become the defining moment of his career. Working with producer Mike Clink (fresh off Guns N' Roses' "Appetite for Destruction") at Rumbo Recorders, Menza delivered performances that combined jazz-influenced precision with thrash metal power. The album opens with "Holy Wars...The Punishment Due" — a nine-minute epic that showcases everything great about Menza's playing: blazing double bass, intricate fills, dynamic control, and the ability to navigate complex time signatures while maintaining groove. Songs like "Hangar 18," "Take No Prisoners," and "Tornado of Souls" feature some of the most technically demanding drumming in thrash metal history. What set Nick Menza apart was his musical background. Before joining Megadeth, he studied jazz drumming and brought that vocabulary to extreme metal. His ghost notes, his sense of swing within blast beats, his creative fills — all bore the mark of a drummer who understood music theory as well as metal aggression. This article breaks down every piece of gear Nick used to create this timeless masterpiece. ## Gear Breakdown - **Drums:** Tama Tama Artstar II (Midnight Blue finish) - **Snare:** Tama Tama Artstar II Bell Brass Snare, 14" x 6.5" - **Cymbals:** Zildjian — Zildjian A Custom / A Series - **Hardware / Pedals:** Tama Camco (Iron Cobra predecessor); Tama Titan Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Original; Vic Firth American Classic 5B - **Heads:** Remo Emperor Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant) - **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension, moderate snare wire tension for versatility ### Menza's Arsenal: The Tama Artstar II For Rust in Peace, Nick Menza used a Tama Artstar II kit in Midnight Blue finish. The Artstar II series represented Tama's professional offering, featuring birch shells known for their focused attack and clear projection — essential qualities for the complex arrangements Dave Mustaine was composing. The double bass drum setup was non-negotiable for Megadeth's music. Unlike some thrash drummers who could achieve their sound with a double pedal on a single drum, Menza required two 22" bass drums to execute the sustained passages on tracks like "Holy Wars" and "Take No Prisoners." The independent drums provided consistent attack and tone across extended double bass runs. Menza's tom setup was expansive: three rack toms and two floor toms gave him maximum options for his melodic fills. Unlike purely aggressive thrash drummers, Nick often incorporated tom patterns that were almost jazz-like in their melodicism — a direct result of his training background. The birch shells of the Artstar II were crucial to cutting through Megadeth's dense guitar arrangements. Dave Mustaine and Marty Friedman's interweaving guitar parts required drums that could punch through without muddying the mix. The Artstar's articulation delivered exactly that. ### The Crack of Technical Thrash The snare sound on Rust in Peace is distinctive — bright, cutting, with a controlled crack that punctuates even the fastest passages. Nick Menza achieved this with a Tama Artstar II Bell Brass snare, known for its brilliant, articulate tone. The bell brass shell (a bronze alloy) produces more overtones than steel or aluminum, giving the drum a complex, musical voice. At 6.5" depth, the snare offered the perfect balance between crack and body — essential for a drummer who played everything from blast beats to subtle ghost note patterns. Producer Mike Clink, coming from the Guns N' Roses sessions where he achieved Steven Adler's punchy snare sound, knew how to capture metal drums with clarity. The snare was close-miked with a Shure SM57, EQ'd to emphasize the attack frequencies, and compressed just enough to control peaks without squashing dynamics. Menza tuned the snare medium-high with moderate snare wire tension. This allowed for both the aggressive attack needed for thrash sections and the sensitivity required for his ghost note work. Listen to the verses of "Tornado of Souls" — the snare responds to the lightest touches while still cracking on backbeats. ### Zildjian Brilliance Nick Menza's cymbal setup for Rust in Peace centered on Zildjian's then-new A Custom series, which had launched in 1989. The A Customs featured a brilliant finish and quick response — perfect for the technical playing that characterized the album. The 14" A Custom hi-hats were essential to Menza's articulate playing style. The brilliant finish cut through the guitar wall, while the responsive feel allowed for the intricate patterns on songs like "Lucretia." Nick's hi-hat work was notably more sophisticated than many thrash drummers, incorporating jazz-influenced open/closed patterns. Multiple crash cymbals gave Menza options for dynamic contrast. The 16" provided quick punctuation, the 18" and 19" offered fuller sounds for bigger moments, and together they allowed for the layered crash work heard on tracks like "Tornado of Souls." The 20" A Custom Medium Ride was versatile enough for both clear bell patterns and crash-riding during intense sections. Listen to "Hangar 18" — the ride work shifts seamlessly between defined patterns and washy crashes. The China cymbal was crucial for Megadeth's aggressive accents. The trashy, cutting sound punctuated riffs and announced transitions throughout the album. Combined with the splash for quick effects, Menza had a complete palette of cymbal colors. ## Key Facts - Recorded at Rumbo Recorders with producer Mike Clink - Nick Menza's debut album with Megadeth became a thrash landmark - Jazz-influenced technique elevated the technical precision - Features some of thrash metal's most demanding drum performances - Double bass drums for Megadeth's demanding patterns - Five-tom setup enabled melodic, jazz-influenced fills - Birch shells for attack and projection - Midnight Blue finish became associated with this era - Estimated kit value: $3,000-4,500 (1990) - Estimated snare value: $350-450 (1990) / $600-900 (vintage today) **Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/rust-in-peace-drum-setup **More LLM resources:** [Site index](/llms.txt) · [Full database](/llms-full.txt) · [Master FAQ](/llms/faq.md) · [Drummer index](/llms/index.md) *Last updated: 2026-06-16 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*