# The Madness of Many Drum Setup: Matt Garstka's Signature Gear Era Begins

> Matt Garstka's drum gear on Animals as Leaders' The Madness of Many (2016) — the refined Pearl Masterworks setup, expanded Meinl Byzance cymbal stack, and the arrival of his signature Pearl snare and Vic Firth sticks.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Matt Garstka](/llms/drummers/matt-garstka.md)
**Band / Album:** Animals as Leaders — *The Madness of Many* (2016)
**Genre:** Progressive Metal / Djent

## Overview

Released November 11, 2016 on Sumerian Records, "The Madness of Many" is Matt Garstka's second album with Animals as Leaders and the record that marks his transition from rising talent to established genre voice. Where "The Joy of Motion" introduced his vocabulary, "The Madness of Many" refines it — the metric modulation on "Arithmophobia" and the technical density of "The Brain Dance" push his four-way independence further than anything on the debut.

This era also coincides with the beginning of Garstka's signature product development. Pearl's Matt Garstka Signature Snare and Vic Firth's signature stick model both trace back to this stretch of his career, as his profile grew through Drumeo lessons and international clinics running in parallel with the band's touring cycle. His gear setup for this album reflects that transition — a more refined version of the Pearl Masterworks kit, an expanded Meinl Byzance cymbal stack, and the earliest use of the drum and stick designs that would carry his name.

This article covers the gear behind "The Madness of Many" specifically. For the setup he used two years earlier, see [The Joy of Motion drum setup](/articles/the-joy-of-motion-drum-setup); for his complete career-spanning gear history, see [What's In Matt Garstka's Kit](/articles/whats-in-matt-garstkas-kit) and [Matt Garstka's drummer profile](/drummer/matt-garstka).

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Pearl Masterworks Maple (Natural Maple finish)
- **Snare:** Pearl Pearl Matt Garstka Signature Snare, 14" x 5"
- **Cymbals:** Meinl — Meinl Byzance (Multiple lines)
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal; Pearl Demon Drive Hi-Hat Stand; Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature
- **Heads:** Remo Ambassador Coated or Evans G1 Coated (batter), Remo Ambassador Snare Side (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium tension for balance of sensitivity and crack

### The Refined Masterworks Setup

Garstka carried the same core Pearl Masterworks Maple configuration into "The Madness of Many" that had defined "The Joy of Motion" — the 20" bass drum, 10" and 12" rack toms, and 14" floor tom remained his template for articulation-focused metal drumming. What changed was how precisely dialed-in the setup had become after two years of touring the previous album.

The technical demands of tracks like "The Brain Dance" — among the most rhythmically dense material Animals as Leaders had written to that point — put a premium on a kit that could keep every stroke distinct even during the fastest linear passages. The Masterworks maple shells and MasterCast hoops continued to deliver that clarity, now shaped by a drummer with two additional years of road-tested familiarity with exactly how his kit responded under pressure.

This is the same core drum configuration documented across Garstka's "Peak Era" in his general gear timeline — the setup that stayed constant even as his snare and stick choices evolved into signature territory.

### The New Pearl Matt Garstka Signature Snare

"The Madness of Many" falls within the era Pearl developed Garstka's signature snare — a 14" x 5" maple drum built around a custom bearing edge designed specifically for his dynamic, ghost-note-heavy playing. Where the Pearl Reference he used on "The Joy of Motion" was an existing production model, this signature drum was engineered around his specific technique.

The custom bearing edge gives the drum exceptional sensitivity at low volumes without sacrificing the crack needed for full-force backbeats — a dual character essential on a track like "Arithmophobia," where Garstka's playing shifts between whisper-quiet ghost note clusters and explosive accents within the same phrase. The maple shell keeps that entire dynamic range warm rather than harsh, even under the aggressive compression common in modern metal mixing.

This snare became closely associated with Garstka's identity as a drummer — the instrument most directly shaped by his own input, and the clearest gear signal that he'd moved from simply endorsing Pearl products to co-designing them.

### The Expanded Byzance Stack

Garstka's Byzance setup expanded significantly for "The Madness of Many," growing from the leaner configuration on "The Joy of Motion" into the full stack that would become his standard touring rig. The additions — a 20" Dual Crash and an 18" Dual Crash / 16" Trash Crash effect stack — gave him a wider dynamic and textural palette for the album's denser arrangements.

The 20" Dual Crash provided a bigger, more sustained crash option for the album's most dramatic moments, complementing the quicker-decaying 18" Extra Dry Thin Crash he'd used since "The Joy of Motion." The new effect stack added the short, trashy accent sound increasingly common in modern progressive metal production — a texture that punctuates transitions on tracks like "Ectogenesis" without the extended wash a full crash or china would produce.

The 22" Sand Ride remained the constant centerpiece across both albums, its dry articulation and complex wash cementing its status as one of the most recognized cymbal voices in progressive drumming.

## Key Facts

- Released November 11, 2016 on Sumerian Records — Garstka's second Animals as Leaders album
- Marks the beginning of Garstka's Pearl and Vic Firth signature product era
- Refined Pearl Masterworks Maple setup with an expanded Meinl Byzance cymbal stack
- "The Brain Dance" and "Arithmophobia" showcase his most demanding metric modulation to date
- Coincides with Garstka's rise as a Drumeo educator alongside his touring schedule
- Same 20" bass drum / 10", 12" rack tom / 14" floor tom configuration as The Joy of Motion
- Two additional years of touring refinement between albums
- Built for the technical density of tracks like "The Brain Dance"
- Masterworks maple shells and MasterCast hoops for consistent articulation
- Part of the broader "Peak Era" (2016-2022) documented in Garstka's full gear timeline
- Estimated kit value: $4,000-6,000 (Masterworks Maple configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $400-500 (signature model)

## Frequently Asked Questions

**Q: What drum kit did Matt Garstka use on The Madness of Many?**

A: Matt Garstka used the same core Pearl Masterworks Maple configuration on The Madness of Many (2016) that he used on The Joy of Motion — a 20x16 inch bass drum, 10x7 and 12x8 inch rack toms, and a 14x14 inch floor tom, all maple shells with MasterCast hoops. The setup remained focused on articulation and dynamic response rather than size.

**Q: Did Matt Garstka use his signature snare on The Madness of Many?**

A: The Madness of Many era coincides with the development of the Pearl Matt Garstka Signature Snare — a 14x5 inch maple drum built around a custom bearing edge for his ghost-note-heavy dynamic style. This period also marked the introduction of his Vic Firth signature stick, both representing Garstka's transition from endorsing existing products to co-designing signature gear.

**Q: What cymbals did Matt Garstka use on The Madness of Many?**

A: Garstka expanded his Meinl Byzance setup for The Madness of Many, adding a 20 inch Dual Crash and an 18 inch Dual Crash / 16 inch Trash Crash effect stack to the Dual Hi-Hats, Extra Dry Thin Crash, Dual Crash, Sand Ride, and Vintage Trash Hat China he'd used on The Joy of Motion. The 22 inch Sand Ride remained his signature ride voice across both records.

**Q: When was The Madness of Many released?**

A: The Madness of Many was released November 11, 2016 on Sumerian Records, Matt Garstka's second full studio album with Animals as Leaders. It followed The Joy of Motion (2014) and preceded Parrhesia (2022).

**Q: What makes Arithmophobia a key track for studying Garstka's technique?**

A: "Arithmophobia" from The Madness of Many is widely cited as one of Matt Garstka's clearest metric modulation showcases — the track shifts between implied tempos and rhythmic feels while maintaining a natural, unforced flow, demonstrating the jazz-fusion-informed rhythmic vocabulary that distinguishes his playing from more straightforward djent drumming.

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/the-madness-of-many-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-07-08 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*