# Matt Greiner vs Matt Garstka — Metalcore vs Progressive Metal Polyrhythm Kings | MetalForge > Side-by-side comparison between Matt Greiner (August Burns Red) and Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders). **Category:** Progressive Metal / Metalcore · **URL:** https://metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-garstka Matt Greiner vs Matt Garstka pits two of technical heavy music's defining polyrhythm voices against each other. Greiner co-founded metalcore band August Burns Red in 2003 and has driven the band's Grammy-nominated catalog for over two decades. Garstka joined instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders in 2012, bringing Berklee-trained jazz-fusion sophistication 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 | Matt Greiner | Matt Garstka | |------|-------------------|----------------| | Drums | Pearl Reference Pure (Piano Black) | Pearl Masterworks Maple | | Cymbals | Meinl Byzance Series | Meinl Byzance Series | | Snare | Pearl Matt Greiner Signature 14x6" Steel | Pearl Matt Garstka Signature 14x5" Maple | | Pedals | Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal | Pearl Demon Drive Double Pedal | | Sticks | Vic Firth Matt Greiner Signature | Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature | --- ## Gear Deep Dive ### Matt Greiner Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure (Piano Black, maple/mahogany hybrid shells) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 19" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 21" Transition Ride, 18" Extra Dry China, 10" & 12" Splashes) - **Snare:** Pearl Matt Greiner Signature 14x6" Steel - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Matt Greiner Signature Matt Greiner's Pearl Reference Pure kit in Piano Black delivers the maple/mahogany warmth and punch that anchors August Burns Red's dense guitar mixes across records like "Found in Far Away Places" (2015) and "Guardians" (2020), full breakdown in [Matt Greiner's Complete Drum Setup](https://metalforge.io/articles/matt-greiner-complete-drum-setup). His own Pearl 14x6" steel signature snare provides the cutting attack that punches through JB Brubaker's riffs, and his Meinl Byzance Extra Dry cymbal setup — including 15" Dual Hi-Hats and a versatile 21" Transition Ride — gives him the tonal range for metalcore's rhythmic precision. ### Matt Garstka Setup - **Drums:** Pearl Masterworks Maple (Custom Natural Maple / Black finishes) - **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" Extra Dry Thin Crash, 19" & 20" Dual Crashes, 22" Sand Ride, 18" Vintage Trash Hat) - **Snare:** Pearl Matt Garstka Signature 14x5" Maple - **Pedals/Hardware:** Pearl Demon Drive double pedal - **Sticks:** Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature Matt Garstka's Pearl Masterworks Maple kit is a deliberately compact four-piece configuration that prioritizes articulation over raw size, engineered for the ghost-note-dense, polyrhythmic patterns central to Animals as Leaders' sound — full breakdown in [What's In Matt Garstka's Kit](https://metalforge.io/articles/whats-in-matt-garstkas-kit). His shallow 14x5" signature snare offers a wide dynamic range for whisper-quiet ghost notes that snap instantly to full-force accents, and his 22" Byzance Sand Ride is one of progressive metal's most recognizable cymbal voices. --- ## Style & Technique Comparison Matt Greiner co-founded metalcore band August Burns Red in 2003 and has been its drummer for over two decades, driving Grammy-nominated records with a jazz-influenced approach to metalcore rhythm. His technique incorporates jazz-influenced dynamics, creative stacked-cymbal work, and rapid-fire double bass into metalcore's heavy foundation, weaving odd time signatures seamlessly into song structures rather than showcasing them as a technical display. Matt Garstka joined Animals as Leaders in 2012, replacing Navene Koperweis, and brought Berklee-trained jazz-fusion sophistication and virtuosic polyrhythmic technique to the band's sound on "The Joy of Motion" (2014) and "The Madness of Many" (2016). He plays traditional grip — unusual in progressive metal — and draws on linear independence and ghost-note-dense double bass, letting him navigate Animals as Leaders' constantly shifting time signatures with fluid, almost improvisational precision. --- ## Key Differences The core divergence is compositional context: Greiner plays in a vocal-driven metalcore band where his complexity must serve aggressive, riff-forward songwriting without derailing the mosh-friendly groove. Garstka plays in an entirely instrumental band built around polymetric riffing, letting him foreground sustained polyrhythmic fluency as the primary musical content rather than a rhythmic backbone. Gear tells a near-identical story despite the genre gap — both drummers are Pearl and Meinl Byzance endorsers running matching Pearl Demon Drive double pedals, down to each having his own signature Pearl snare and Vic Firth signature stick model. The difference is voicing: Greiner's steel 14x6" snare and Extra Dry crashes are tuned for cutting through two heavy guitars, while Garstka's shallower 14x5" maple snare and Dual/Sand cymbal choices are voiced for sensitivity and complex overtone detail. --- ## Influence & Legacy Greiner earned two Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance with August Burns Red and has influenced a generation of metalcore drummers through his signature Pearl snare and worldwide drum clinics. Garstka has become one of the most-watched drum educators in progressive metal through Drumeo, YouTube, and international clinics, and Animals as Leaders' globally influential instrumental catalog made him a touchstone for the modern djent generation. --- ## Verdict Matt Greiner and Matt Garstka are the two defining polyrhythm voices of their respective corners of technical heavy music, and both endorse Pearl drums and Meinl Byzance cymbals down to matching Pearl Demon Drive pedals. Greiner built a 20-plus-year career turning Grammy-nominated metalcore into a showcase for jazz-informed dynamics and odd-time sophistication with August Burns Red. Garstka brought Berklee-trained jazz-fusion virtuosity to Animals as Leaders' entirely instrumental, djent-rooted catalog, turning polyrhythmic complexity into fluid, conversational playing. Both share a devotion to making complex time signatures feel natural rather than showy. --- ## FAQ **Q: Who is more technical, Matt Greiner or Matt Garstka?** A: Both are considered among modern heavy music's most technical drummers. Matt Greiner (August Burns Red) weaves jazz-influenced dynamics and odd time signatures into Grammy-nominated metalcore. Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders) brings Berklee-trained, jazz-fusion polyrhythmic phrasing and ghost-note density to instrumental progressive metal. They are technical in different genres — metalcore songwriting vs instrumental polyrhythm. **Q: Has August Burns Red or Animals as Leaders won a Grammy?** A: Neither band has won a Grammy. August Burns Red, featuring Matt Greiner, received Grammy nominations for Best Metal Performance in 2016 and 2020. Animals as Leaders, featuring Matt Garstka, has not received a Grammy nomination. **Q: What gear do Matt Greiner and Matt Garstka use?** A: Matt Greiner plays a Pearl Reference Pure kit with his signature Pearl 14x6" steel snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals, driven by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. Matt Garstka plays a Pearl Masterworks Maple kit with his signature Pearl 14x5" maple snare and Meinl Byzance cymbals, also powered by a Pearl Demon Drive double pedal. **Q: What bands are Matt Greiner and Matt Garstka known for?** A: Matt Greiner co-founded and has drummed for metalcore band August Burns Red since 2003. Matt Garstka has been the drummer for instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders since 2012, replacing original drummer Navene Koperweis. --- *Full comparison: [metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-garstka](https://metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-garstka)* *[Matt Greiner drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/matt-greiner)* *[Matt Garstka drummer profile](https://metalforge.io/drummer/matt-garstka)* *[Matt Greiner vs Matt Halpern comparison](https://metalforge.io/vs/matt-greiner-vs-matt-halpern)* *[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)*