# Lamb of God (2020) Drum Setup: Art Cruz's Recording Debut

> How Art Cruz's drum gear powered Lamb of God's 2020 self-titled album — his recording debut with the band after replacing Chris Adler. Ludwig kit, Zildjian cymbals, Trick pedal breakdown.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Art Cruz](/llms/drummers/art-cruz.md)
**Band / Album:** Lamb of God — *Lamb of God* (2020)
**Genre:** Groove Metal / American Metal

## Overview

Released on June 19, 2020, Lamb of God's self-titled eighth album carried weight far beyond its track list. It was the band's first studio record since Chris Adler departed in 2019, and the first to feature his replacement, Art Cruz, on every track. For a band whose drumming identity had been so closely tied to one player for two decades, this was the real test: could Lamb of God still sound like Lamb of God?

The answer arrived loudly. "Memento Mori" opens the album with a blast-driven intensity that immediately signals Cruz isn't trying to impersonate his predecessor — he's bringing his own physicality to the band's established vocabulary. Tracks like "Resurrection Man," "New Colossal Hate," "Gomorrah," and "Routes" run through the record's full range, from thrash-speed assaults to the groove-locked mid-tempo sections that have always been Lamb of God's signature.

Cruz had already proven himself live, filling in for Adler on tour dates as far back as 2018, but a studio record is a different challenge entirely. Working with longtime Lamb of God producer Josh Wilbur, Cruz had to deliver performances that honored the band's catalog while staking out his own identity behind the kit. The self-titled record became the foundation for everything that followed, including 2022's "Omens."

This article breaks down the gear behind Art Cruz's first studio statement with Lamb of God — the kit, cymbals, and pedals that defined his recording debut.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Ludwig Classic Maple (Custom finish)
- **Snare:** Ludwig 14" x 6.5" Snare
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian — A Custom
- **Hardware / Pedals:** Trick Pro 1-V Bigfoot Double Pedal; Gibraltar 9707ML-DP Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Original; Vic Firth 5B or Power 5B
- **Heads:** Evans G2 Coated or HD Dry (batter), Evans Hazy 300 (resonant)
- **Snare tuning:** Medium-high tension for punch and articulation

### Cruz's Debut Setup: The Ludwig Classic Maple

For his recording debut, Art Cruz built his sound around a Ludwig Classic Maple kit — a single 22" x 18" bass drum paired with a Trick double pedal rather than the dual-kick setup Chris Adler favored. That single-kick-plus-double-pedal approach was a notable departure from Adler-era Lamb of God records, and it gave Cruz tonal consistency between feet that a two-bass-drum rig can't always match.

The four-tom configuration (10", 12", 14", 16") mirrors the band's long-standing template, which mattered for an album that needed to bridge old and new eras convincingly. Cruz's fills on tracks like "Resurrection Man" are economical rather than flashy, placed to punctuate the riff rather than overshadow it — a philosophy that respects the groove-first approach Lamb of God built its reputation on.

The Classic Maple shells gave Wilbur's production a warm, present low end that cuts through the band's down-tuned guitars without losing punch. It's the same core setup Cruz would carry into Omens two years later, refined but fundamentally unchanged — proof that he found his voice on this record and didn't need to chase it further.

### The Snare on Memento Mori

Cruz's snare on the self-titled record needed to carry the same authority as Adler's had on Ashes of the Wake and Sacrament — a tall order on a debut. He met it with a 14" x 6.5" Ludwig snare tuned medium-high, giving tracks like "Memento Mori" and "New Colossal Hate" a crack with enough body to stay present under layered, down-tuned guitars.

The deeper 6.5" shell adds low-mid weight that distinguishes Cruz's snare voice from the brighter, shallower snares some of his groove-metal peers favor. Combined with Wilbur's production, the snare sits forward in the mix without becoming harsh — punchy on the verses, full-bodied during the album's heavier breakdown sections.

### Zildjian A Custom Across the Record

Already a Zildjian endorser by the time the self-titled album was tracked, Cruz built his cymbal voice on the A Custom line — bright and articulate enough to cut through Lamb of God's wall of down-tuned guitars without sounding harsh. The China cymbal accents on tracks like "Gomorrah" do the same job Adler's Meinl Chinas did on earlier records: punctuating riffs at precise moments rather than just adding noise.

The 21" A Custom ride carries much of the album's groove-driven mid-tempo material, giving Cruz a cymbal with both a clear bell for accents and enough wash for sustained sections.

## Key Facts

- Released June 19, 2020 — Lamb of God's eighth studio album
- Art Cruz's first full studio album with the band
- First Lamb of God album without Chris Adler on drums
- Produced by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur
- Key tracks: Memento Mori, Resurrection Man, New Colossal Hate, Gomorrah, Routes
- Single 22x18" bass drum with Trick double pedal, not dual kicks like the Adler era
- Same core kit carried forward into the 2022 Omens sessions
- Estimated kit value: $4,000-6,000 (Ludwig Classic Maple configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $400-700 (Ludwig professional snare)

## FAQ

**What drum kit does Art Cruz play on Lamb of God's 2020 self-titled album?**
Art Cruz recorded Lamb of God's 2020 self-titled album on a Ludwig Classic Maple kit, featuring a single 22x18 inch bass drum, 10 and 12 inch rack toms, and 14 and 16 inch floor toms. He paired the single kick with a Trick Pro 1-V Bigfoot double pedal rather than using dual bass drums, a notable shift from the two-kick setup Chris Adler used on earlier Lamb of God records.

**Who replaced Chris Adler in Lamb of God?**
Art Cruz replaced Chris Adler as Lamb of God's drummer. Adler departed the band in 2019 after two decades behind the kit, and Cruz — who had previously played in Winds of Plague and Prong, and first filled in for Adler on 2018 tour dates — became the band's official drummer. Lamb of God's 2020 self-titled album was Cruz's first studio recording with the band.

**What gear did Art Cruz use to record Lamb of God's 2020 album?**
Art Cruz's recording setup on the 2020 self-titled album centered on a Ludwig Classic Maple drum kit, a Ludwig 14x6.5 inch snare, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, and a Trick Pro 1-V Bigfoot double pedal. This is the same core gear lineup he carries into live performances and later carried into 2022's Omens sessions.

**Was Lamb of God (2020) Art Cruz's first album with the band?**
Yes. While Cruz had toured with Lamb of God as a live fill-in for Chris Adler as early as 2018, the band's 2020 self-titled album — featuring tracks like "Memento Mori," "Resurrection Man," and "Gomorrah" — was his first full studio album as an official member, recorded after he formally joined in 2019.

## Related Articles

- [Art Cruz drummer profile](/drummer/art-cruz) — full career background, from Winds of Plague and Prong to Lamb of God
- [What's In Art Cruz's Kit](/articles/whats-in-art-cruzs-kit) — complete gear breakdown of his current live and studio setup
- [Ashes of the Wake Drum Setup](/articles/ashes-of-the-wake-drum-setup) — Chris Adler's gear from the pre-Cruz era, for direct comparison

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/lamb-of-god-self-titled-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-30 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*