Matt Greiner vs Matt Garstka — Drum Gear Comparison | MetalForge
Side-by-side gear: Matt Greiner (August Burns Red) vs Matt Garstka (Animals as Leaders). Kits, cymbals, pedals, sticks — compare specs and prices.
Frequently Asked Questions
What drum kit does Matt Greiner use?
Matt Greiner uses Mapex Black Panther Design Lab with Paiste Formula 602 (14" Hi-Hats, 16"/17"/18" Crashes, 22" Ride, 18" China, 10" Splash). Matt Greiner plays a Mapex Black Panther Design Lab kit with his own Pearl Matt Greiner Signature 14x6" steel snare and Paiste Formula 602 cymbals, driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal and Vic Firth Matt Greiner Signature sticks. Matt Garstka plays a DW Collector's Series kit and Meinl Byzance cymbals (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" Extra Dry Thin Crash, 19" & 20" Dual Crashes, 22" Sand Ride, 18" Vintage Trash Hat), powered by a Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedal and Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature sticks.
What drum kit does Matt Garstka use?
Matt Garstka uses DW Collector's Series with Meinl Byzance Series (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" & 20" Extra Dry Medium Crashes, 22" Dual Ride). Matt Greiner plays a Mapex Black Panther Design Lab kit with his own Pearl Matt Greiner Signature 14x6" steel snare and Paiste Formula 602 cymbals, driven by a DW 9000 Series double pedal and Vic Firth Matt Greiner Signature sticks. Matt Garstka plays a DW Collector's Series kit and Meinl Byzance cymbals (15" Dual Hi-Hats, 18" Extra Dry Thin Crash, 19" & 20" Dual Crashes, 22" Sand Ride, 18" Vintage Trash Hat), powered by a Tama Speed Cobra 910 double pedal and Vic Firth Matt Garstka Signature sticks.
Which is better, Matt Greiner or Matt Garstka?
Matt Greiner and Matt Garstka are the two defining polyrhythm voices of their respective corners of technical heavy music — Garstka pairs Meinl Byzance cymbals with his DW Collector's Series kit, while Greiner runs a Mapex/Paiste setup. 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.