# New American Gospel Drum Setup: Chris Adler's 2000 Debut Kit

> Complete breakdown of Chris Adler's drum setup on Lamb of God's 2000 debut New American Gospel — the pre-endorsement Pearl kit, raw groove metal drumming, and the record that launched the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Chris Adler](/llms/drummers/chris-adler.md)
**Band / Album:** Lamb of God — *New American Gospel* (2000)
**Genre:** Groove Metal / New Wave of American Heavy Metal
**Label:** Prosthetic Records
**Studio:** Austin Enterprises, Clinton, Massachusetts
**Producer:** Steve Austin
**Release Date:** September 26, 2000

## Overview

Released September 26, 2000 through Prosthetic Records, "New American Gospel" is where Lamb of God's discography begins. The Richmond, Virginia band had previously recorded as Burn the Priest, self-releasing a self-titled album in 1999 before adopting the Lamb of God name. New American Gospel was tracked in eight days at Austin Enterprises in Clinton, Massachusetts with producer Steve Austin (Today Is the Day), then mastered at MWorks in Cambridge — a fast, raw session that favored live intensity over studio polish.

Behind the kit, Chris Adler had no endorsement deal yet. He tracked the album on a budget Pearl Export kit and a mixed, unsponsored cymbal setup — a stark contrast to the Mapex Black Panther Velvetone and Meinl Byzance rig that would define his mature sound starting with Ashes of the Wake (2004). Even so, the groove-first philosophy and China cymbal accent technique that became his signature are already audible in embryonic form.

New American Gospel opens the arc that runs through As the Palaces Burn (2003), Ashes of the Wake (2004), Sacrament (2006), Wrath (2009), Resolution (2012), and VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) — the full documented span of Chris Adler's tenure as Lamb of God's drummer.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Export Series (poplar/mahogany shells, single 22"x16" bass drum, 12"/13" rack toms, 16" floor tom)
- **Snare:** Pearl Export Steel Snare, 14" x 5.5"
- **Cymbals:** Mixed setup — Zildjian 14" A New Beat hi-hats, Sabian AA Metal-X crashes (16"/18"), Zildjian 20" A Ride, unbranded 18" budget China
- **Pedals:** Pearl P-2002 chain-drive double pedal (single bass drum)
- **Hardware:** Pearl Export hi-hat stand and throne (stock)
- **Sticks:** Vic Firth 5A American Classic
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke 3 Clear (kick batter), Remo Ambassador Coated (tom/snare batter)

### The Pearl Export: A Workhorse Kit for a DIY Band

With no endorsement backing in 2000, Adler's kit was the Pearl Export Series — a budget-to-mid-level workhorse used by countless touring bands at the time. A single 22" bass drum ran through a chain-drive double pedal rather than the dual-kick configuration Adler adopted starting with As the Palaces Burn (2003). The poplar/mahogany shells produce a darker, more compressed tone than the maple/walnut hybrids of his later Mapex kits — a character that suits the album's murkier, sludge-inflected production.

### Mixed Budget Cymbals and the First China Accent

Without a cymbal sponsor, Adler assembled a mixed Zildjian/Sabian setup from the entry points of each brand's metal-oriented lines. The most historically significant piece is an inexpensive, unbranded 18" China cymbal — the earliest documented use of the China-as-accent technique Adler would spend the next two decades refining with Zildjian A Custom and, later, dual Meinl Byzance Chinas.

## Key Facts

- Lamb of God's first album released under that name (previously Burn the Priest, self-titled, 1999)
- Recorded in 8 days at Austin Enterprises, Clinton, MA with producer Steve Austin (Today Is the Day)
- Mastered at MWorks, Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Chris Adler's pre-endorsement era — Pearl Export kit, mixed Zildjian/Sabian cymbals
- Earliest documented appearance of Adler's signature China cymbal accent technique
- Single 22" bass drum with chain-drive double pedal, not yet the dual-kick setup of later albums
- Opens the arc through As the Palaces Burn (2003), Ashes of the Wake (2004), Sacrament (2006), Wrath (2009), Resolution (2012), VII: Sturm und Drang (2015)
- Reissued by Metal Blade Records in 2006 with four bonus tracks
- Estimated kit value: $600-900 (2000 Pearl Export configuration, period pricing)

## FAQ

**Q: What was Lamb of God's first album?**
A: New American Gospel, released September 26, 2000 through Prosthetic Records, was the first album released under the name Lamb of God. The band had previously self-released a self-titled album in 1999 as Burn the Priest before renaming themselves.

**Q: What drum kit did Chris Adler use on New American Gospel?**
A: Chris Adler used a Pearl Export Series kit with a single 22x16" bass drum on a chain-drive double pedal, 12"/13" rack toms, and a 16" floor tom — years before his Mapex Black Panther Velvetone signature setup began with As the Palaces Burn (2003).

**Q: What cymbals did Chris Adler use on New American Gospel?**
A: Adler used a mixed, unsponsored setup: Zildjian 14" A New Beat hi-hats, Sabian AA Metal-X crashes (16"/18"), a Zildjian 20" A Ride, and a budget 18" China — the earliest documented instance of his signature China accent technique.

**Q: Who produced New American Gospel?**
A: New American Gospel was produced by Steve Austin of Today Is the Day, recorded in eight days (April 15-22, 2000) at Austin Enterprises in Clinton, Massachusetts, and mastered at MWorks in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

## Internal Links

- [Chris Adler drummer profile](/drummer/chris-adler)
- [Sacrament drum setup (2006)](/articles/sacrament-drum-setup)
- [Wrath drum setup (2009)](/articles/wrath-drum-setup)
- [As the Palaces Burn drum setup (2003)](/articles/as-the-palaces-burn-drum-setup)
- [What's In Chris Adler's Kit](/articles/whats-in-chris-adlers-kit)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/new-american-gospel-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*