# Matt Greiner vs Matt Halpern — Q&A Comparison | MetalForge > Structured Q&A: Matt Greiner (August Burns Red) vs Matt Halpern (Periphery). Metalcore vs djent: Grammy-nominated ABR technique versus polyrhythmic djent groove. **Category:** Progressive / Metalcore · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-halpern --- **Q: Who is Matt Greiner?** A: Matt Greiner is the drummer and co-founder of August Burns Red, one of the most technically accomplished metalcore bands in the genre. A Grammy-nominated musician (Best Metal Performance), Greiner is known for incorporating jazz-influenced dynamics — ghost notes, textural cymbal work, and dynamic swells — into aggressive metalcore. His playing on landmark ABR albums like *Messengers* (2007), *Leveler* (2011), and *Rescue & Restore* (2013) set the technical bar for an entire generation of metalcore drummers. **Q: Who is Matt Halpern?** A: Matt Halpern is the drummer for Periphery and one of the defining voices of djent drumming for mainstream metal audiences. His playing fuses deep communicative groove with formidable technical precision — polyrhythmic patterns, nuanced ghost notes, and hi-hat work that gives Periphery's dense, syncopated arrangements space to breathe. Beyond his studio and live work, Halpern has built one of the most engaged drum education presences online, teaching djent technique globally through clinics and video content. **Q: What is the main stylistic difference between Matt Greiner and Matt Halpern?** A: Matt Greiner channels jazz vocabulary and dynamic range into metalcore — using ghost notes, cymbal textures, and controlled swells to add musicality to August Burns Red's aggressive sound. Matt Halpern channels progressive groove and polyrhythm into djent — using interlocking patterns and ghost note precision to anchor Periphery's layered, atmospheric compositions. Greiner's approach is about making metalcore more dynamic; Halpern's is about making djent more human and groove-oriented. **Q: What drums does Matt Greiner play?** A: Matt Greiner plays a Pearl Masters Maple Reserve drum kit. The all-maple shell construction delivers warm, resonant attack with the clarity needed for both aggressive metalcore passages and the dynamic, jazz-influenced playing that defines his style. **Q: What drums does Matt Halpern play?** A: Matt Halpern plays a Pearl Reference Series drum kit — one of Pearl's premium lines featuring maple/mahogany hybrid shells. The hybrid construction delivers deep, warm tones well suited to Periphery's layered, atmospheric djent sound. **Q: What cymbals do Matt Greiner and Matt Halpern use?** A: Matt Greiner uses Sabian AAX and HHX Evolution cymbals (14" AAX X-Plosion Hi-Hats, 17" AAX Thin Crash, 19" HHX Evolution Crash, 21" AAX Ride, 18" HHX Evolution China) — a bright, cutting setup that projects through August Burns Red's dense guitar tones. Matt Halpern uses Meinl Byzance Series cymbals (15" Dark Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Transition Ride, 18" Extra Dry China) — darker and more complex, blending into Periphery's atmospheric sound rather than cutting above it. **Q: What snare drums do they use?** A: Matt Greiner plays the Pearl Matt Greiner Signature snare — a 14×6.5" brass shell that delivers warmth and crack for both metalcore aggression and ghost-note sensitivity. Matt Halpern plays a Pearl Reference 14×6.5" Brass snare, optimised for the nuanced ghost note work and polyrhythmic precision that define his djent playing. Both share the same 14×6.5" brass shell dimensions with different voicings. **Q: What bass drum pedals do they use?** A: Both Matt Greiner and Matt Halpern use the Pearl Demon Drive double pedal — one of the most responsive direct-drive double pedal options in metal drumming. The shared pedal choice reflects both players' need for consistent, fast response for their respective intricate kick patterns, despite their very different musical contexts. **Q: What drumsticks do they use?** A: Matt Greiner plays Vic Firth 5A sticks. Matt Halpern plays Promark Matt Halpern Signature sticks, shaped for the precise ghost-note work and sensitive response his polyrhythmic playing demands. **Q: How does Matt Greiner's cymbal philosophy differ from Matt Halpern's?** A: Cymbal philosophy is the sharpest dividing line between the two players. Greiner's Sabian AAX/HHX setup is brighter and more cutting — built to project through August Burns Red's thick, distorted guitar tones. Halpern's Meinl Byzance Series is darker and more complex — designed to blend into Periphery's layered, atmospheric sound with rich harmonic overtones. The brightness difference alone reflects each band's distinct sonic approach. **Q: Who is more influential — Matt Greiner or Matt Halpern?** A: Both have had enormous influence in their respective genres. Matt Greiner redefined technical metalcore drumming, earning a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance and influencing countless ABR-inspired drummers worldwide. Matt Halpern shaped modern djent drumming and built one of the most engaged drum education communities on YouTube, making djent technique accessible to a global audience. Greiner's influence runs deepest in metalcore; Halpern's influence extends broadly through the progressive metal and djent communities. **Q: Are Matt Greiner and Matt Halpern both Pearl endorsers?** A: Yes — both are Pearl endorsers, which is one of the notable points of comparison between them. Greiner plays the Pearl Masters Maple Reserve (Pearl's flagship masters series); Halpern plays the Pearl Reference Series (Pearl's premium hybrid-shell line). Both use the Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Despite sharing a brand relationship, their cymbal and stick choices reflect very different sonic philosophies. **Q: What is the verdict — Matt Greiner vs Matt Halpern?** A: Matt Greiner and Matt Halpern represent two defining faces of modern heavy music drumming — Greiner's jazz-infused metalcore and Halpern's polyrhythmic djent. Both are Pearl endorsers who transcend their genres, both have Grammy-adjacent careers, and both inspire a generation of technically ambitious heavy drummers. The comparison is really about two philosophies: Greiner uses dynamics and jazz vocabulary to make metalcore more musical; Halpern uses groove and polyrhythm to make djent more human. Metal is richer for having both. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-halpern](https://metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-halpern)* *[Matt Greiner drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/matt-greiner)* *[Matt Halpern drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/matt-halpern)* --- *Last updated: 2026-06-25 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*