Matt Garstka

{{BLP sources|date=August 2022}} {{Use mdy dates|date=August 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Matt Garstka | image = Matt Garstka - 2014 NAMM Show (cropped).jpg | caption = Garstka at NAMM 2014 | landscape = | birth_name = Matthew Wolfgang Garstka | alias = | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1989|4|27}} | death_date = | origin = Hopewell, Virginia, U.S. | genre = {{hlist|Progressive metal|djent|jazz fusion}} | occupation = Drummer | years_active = | label = | current_member_of = Animals as Leaders | website = [https://matt-garstka.myshopify.com/ mattgarstka.com] }}

'''Matthew Wolfgang Garstka''' (born April 27, 1989) is an American drummer, best known for his work with instrumental progressive metal band Animals as Leaders.

== Biography == Garstka, son of professional guitar player Greg Garstka, was born in Hopewell, Virginia, and raised in Westfield, Massachusetts. He started playing drums at the age of 8. At the age of 12 he started gigging with his father, playing rock, blues and reggae music. At 14 Garstka met Jo Sallins, who introduced him to fusion, funk, Latin and jazz drumming. At the age of 14 Matt appeared in Sallins DVD ''Mr. Cool''.<ref name="DZ">{{cite web|url=http://www.drummerszone.com/artists/profile/13787/matthew-garstka#biography-tab|title=Drummerszone profile|work=Drummerszone|accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref> In 2006 he released an EP with punk band Backstab and in 2007 released his first solo album ''Heavy Volume'', featuring Joel Stroetzel from Killswitch Engage, Chis Regan from FNB and Jo Sallins.<ref name="DZ" /> After finishing high school, Garstka attended Berklee College of Music.<ref name="Drum">{{Cite web |last=Lentz |first=Andrew |title=Matt Garstka: Let's Get Technical with Animals As Leaders |url=https://drummagazine.com/matt-garstka-lets-get-technical/ |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=DRUM!|date=June 16, 2014 }}</ref> In the same year he was featured in GospelChops.com DVD ''Shed Sessionz Vol. 3''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gospelchops.com/?p=44|title=Shed Sessionz Vol. 3 DVD On Sale Now|work=GospelChops.com|date=March 25, 2012|accessdate=June 4, 2015|archive-date=November 22, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151122174717/http://www.gospelchops.com/?p=44|url-status=dead}}</ref> Soon after moving to Los Angeles Garstka met Tosin Abasi and joined his band Animals as Leaders following the departure of Navene Koperweis.<ref name="MetalInjection">{{Cite web |last=Blum |first=Jordan |date=2019-05-11 |title=Cognitive Contortions: An Interview With ANIMALS AS LEADERS' Matt Garstka |url=https://metalinjection.net/interviews/cognitive-contortions-an-interview-with-animals-as-leaders-matt-garstka |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=Metal Injection}}</ref> In 2012 Garstka programmed drums for Mestis debut EP ''Basal Ganglia''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://sumerianrecords.com/artist/details/id:31/|title=Mestis|work=Sumerian Records|accessdate=June 4, 2015|archive-date=July 19, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180719203443/http://sumerianrecords.com/artist/details/id:31/|url-status=dead}}</ref> In March 2015 Garstka was featured as ''Modern Drummer'' magazine cover artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.moderndrummer.com/site/2015/01/march-2015-issue-modern-drummer-featuring-animals-leaders-matt-garstka/#.VXBHvc_tmko|title=March 2015 Issue of Modern Drummer featuring Animals as Leaders' Matt Garstka|work=Modern Drummer|date=January 29, 2015 |accessdate=June 4, 2015}}</ref> During his career Garstka has performed with artists such as Rohn Lawrence, David Stolz, Tigran Hamasyan,<ref>{{Cite web |title=CREDITS - The Bird of a Thousand Voices |url=https://www.tigranhamasyan.com/credits |access-date=2024-07-24 |website=Tigran Hamasyan |language=en-US}}</ref> Tony Smith, Doug Johns, Toni Blackman, Derek Jordon and Evan Marien.<ref name="DZ" />

In 2021, he was voted the "Best Progressive Drummer" by ''MusicRadar''.<ref name="MusicRadar">{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Stuart |date=2022-03-22 |title=Animals as Leaders' Matt Garstka: "I can't stop, and I won't stop trying to push forward" |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/animals-as-leaders-matt-garstka-parrhesia-interview |access-date=2022-08-19 |website=MusicRadar}}</ref>

== Discography ==

=== Animals as Leaders === *''The Joy of Motion'' (2014) *''Animals as Leaders Encore Edition'' (2015) *''The Madness of Many'' (2016) *''Parrhesia'' (2022)

=== Victoria === *''Modern Value'' (2018) *''Kepler'' (2019) *''Iris'' (2019) *''Perennial'' (2020) *''Chronostasis'' (2024) *''Axioma'' (2024) *''Possibilia'' (2024)

=== Louis De Mieulle === *''Defense Mechanisms'' (2014) * Dual (2017)

=== Casimir Liberski === *''Cosmic Liberty'' (2019)

=== Tigran Hamasyan === *''Manifeste'' (2026)

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == *[https://matt-garstka.myshopify.com/ Official website] *[http://www.facebook.com/pages/Matthew-Garstka/27819105945 Official Facebook page]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Garstka, Matt}} Category:1989 births Category:Living people Category:Berklee College of Music alumni Category:21st-century American drummers Category:Animals as Leaders members Category:People from Hopewell, Virginia Category:People from Westfield, Massachusetts Category:American male drummers Category:American heavy metal drummers Category:Drummers from Massachusetts Category:Drummers from Virginia