# Blake Richardson vs Matt Garstka — Tech Metal's New Generation Compared | MetalForge > Side-by-side comparison between Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me) and Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders). **Category:** Progressive Metal / Tech Metal · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-matt-garstka Between the Buried and Me's Blake Richardson vs Animals as Leaders' Matt Garstka pits two of tech/math metal's most complete new-generation drummers against each other. Richardson has driven BTBAM's genre-defying compositions since 2005, fusing death metal blast beats with jazz sophistication and experimental textures within single songs. Garstka joined instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders in 2012, bringing jazz-fusion training and virtuosic polyrhythmic technique to the band's djent-influenced sound. This comparison covers technique, gear, band context, and career trajectory across both drummers' catalogs. --- ## At a Glance | Spec | Blake Richardson | Matt Garstka | |------|-------------------|----------------| | Drums | Tama Starclassic Bubinga | Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch | | Cymbals | Sabian (incl. AAX Holy Chinas) | Meinl Byzance Series | | Snare | Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass | Tama S.L.P. 14x6" G-Maple | | Pedals | Twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals | Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal | | Sticks | Vic Firth 5A/5B | Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Blake Richardson Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Bubinga - **Cymbals:** Sabian (including 17" and 21" AAX Holy Chinas) - **Snare:** Tama STARPHONIC 14x6" Brass - **Pedals/Hardware:** Twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals for independent double-kick patterns - **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5A/5B Blake Richardson's Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit is the foundation behind Between the Buried and Me's constantly shifting genre identity. His Tama STARPHONIC brass snare delivers the cutting crack that anchors the band's death metal blast sections, while his Sabian cymbal setup — including a pair of AAX Holy Chinas — gives him the tonal range to move from extreme aggression to jazz-influenced swing within a single track, as heard across [Colors](https://metalforge.io/articles/colors-drum-setup) (2007) and The Great Misdirect (2009). Rather than a single double pedal, Richardson drives his double-kick work with twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals, giving each foot independent mechanical feel. ### Matt Garstka Setup - **Drums:** Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Dual Ride) - **Snare:** Tama S.L.P. 14x6" G-Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature Matt Garstka's Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit is the setup he's refined since joining Animals as Leaders in 2012, engineered for the ghost-note-dense, polyrhythmic patterns central to his jazz-fusion-informed style. His Tama S.L.P. G-Maple snare provides a warm, articulate crack suited to Animals as Leaders' clean-toned, djent-adjacent instrumental compositions on "The Joy of Motion" (2014) and "The Madness of Many" (2016) — full breakdown in [What's In Matt Garstka's Kit](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-matt-garstkas-kit). A Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedal drives his fluid, linear-independence-based double bass work. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Blake Richardson has been the drummer for Between the Buried and Me since 2005, building a career on genre-defying compositions that fuse death metal blast beats, jazz sophistication, and experimental textures within single songs. His technique centers on rapid transitions — jazz-influenced ghost notes, seamless shifts between blast beats and swung grooves, and complex odd time signatures that feel conversational rather than forced, a hallmark of BTBAM's genre-blending approach across two decades and albums including "Colors," "The Great Misdirect," and "Colors II" (2021). Matt Garstka joined instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders in 2012, bringing a jazz-fusion education and virtuosic technical vocabulary to the band's sound. His technique draws on linear independence, polymetric phrasing, and ghost-note-laced double bass, allowing him to navigate Animals as Leaders' constantly shifting time signatures with fluid, almost improvisational precision rather than mechanical rigidity — audible throughout "The Joy of Motion" and "The Madness of Many." --- ## Key Differences The core divergence is compositional context: Richardson plays in a vocal-and-guitar-driven band whose songs deliberately hop between genres — death metal, jazz, progressive rock — sometimes within the same track, requiring him to master rapid stylistic pivots. Garstka plays in an entirely instrumental band built around polymetric riffing, letting him focus on sustained polyrhythmic fluency rather than genre-switching. Gear reflects the same split. Richardson's Sabian cymbals and twin single pedals are tuned for aggressive, blast-beat-capable versatility. Garstka's Meinl Byzance cymbals and single Tama Speed Cobra double pedal are voiced for the cleaner, more controlled dynamics that Animals as Leaders' instrumental arrangements demand. --- ## Influence & Legacy Richardson's two-decade run with Between the Buried and Me influenced a generation of progressive metal drummers who treat odd time signatures as a natural language rather than a technical showcase, helping define modern "djent-adjacent" progressive metal. Garstka has become one of the most-watched young drummers in progressive metal through his YouTube content and Animals as Leaders' globally influential instrumental catalog, representing the new generation of jazz-trained tech-metal virtuosos alongside peers like Tomas Haake and Matt Halpern. --- ## Verdict Blake Richardson and Matt Garstka represent tech/math metal's new generation from two different bands built around instrumental ambition. Richardson built his reputation navigating Between the Buried and Me's constantly shifting genre identity across two decades, treating chaos as compositional language. Garstka brought jazz-fusion virtuosity to Animals as Leaders' djent-rooted instrumental catalog, turning polyrhythmic complexity into fluid, almost conversational playing. Both answer "who represents the future of technical metal drumming?" from opposite angles — Richardson through genre-hopping unpredictability, Garstka through polymetric fluency. --- ## FAQ **Q: Who is more technical, Blake Richardson or Matt Garstka?** A: Both are considered among tech/math metal's most complete drummers. Blake Richardson (Between the Buried and Me) excels at navigating rapid genre shifts within single songs, blending blast beats, jazz swing, and odd time signatures. Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders) excels at polymetric phrasing and ghost-note-dense double bass drawn from jazz-fusion training. They are technical in different dimensions — genre-hopping versatility versus polyrhythmic fluency. **Q: What bands are Blake Richardson and Matt Garstka known for?** A: Blake Richardson has been the drummer for progressive metal band Between the Buried and Me since 2005, appearing on landmark albums including "Colors" (2007) and "Colors II" (2021). Matt Garstka has been the drummer for instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders since 2012, appearing on "The Joy of Motion" (2014) and "The Madness of Many" (2016). **Q: What gear do Blake Richardson and Matt Garstka use?** A: Blake Richardson plays a Tama Starclassic Bubinga kit with a Tama STARPHONIC snare and Sabian cymbals, driven by twin Tama Iron Cobra Power Glide single pedals. Matt Garstka plays a Tama Starclassic Walnut/Birch kit with a Tama S.L.P. snare and Meinl Byzance Series cymbals, powered by a Tama Speed Cobra 910 Double Pedal. **Q: Is Matt Garstka jazz trained?** A: Yes — Matt Garstka's playing blends jazz fusion, electronic music, and progressive metal, and his jazz-influenced training is central to the linear independence and ghost-note complexity he brings to Animals as Leaders' instrumental compositions. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-matt-garstka](https://metalforge.io/vs/blake-richardson-vs-matt-garstka)* *[Blake Richardson drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/blake-richardson)* *[Matt Garstka drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/matt-garstka)* *[Tomas Haake vs Blake Richardson comparison](https://metalforge.io/vs/tomas-haake-vs-blake-richardson)* *[Mike Mangini vs Matt Garstka comparison](https://metalforge.io/vs/mike-mangini-vs-matt-garstka)* --- *Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*