# Lamb of God 'Resolution' Drum Setup — Chris Adler's Grammy-Nominated 2012 Kit

> Complete breakdown of Chris Adler's drum setup on Lamb of God's Grammy-nominated Resolution (2012) — Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit, Meinl Byzance cymbals, and the polyrhythmic techniques behind 'Ghost Walking' and 'Desolation'.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Chris Adler](/llms/drummers/chris-adler.md)
**Band / Album:** Lamb of God — *Resolution* (2012)
**Genre:** Groove Metal / New Wave of American Heavy Metal

## Overview

Released on January 24, 2012, Lamb of God's "Resolution" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance for "Ghost Walking" at the 56th Grammy Awards (2014). The album fills the Wrath (2009) → VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) arc in the Lamb of God discography and represents Chris Adler's signature gear setup at its most fully realized.

Chris Adler returned to the Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit — his signature drum setup — and Meinl Byzance cymbals after the Pearl Reference Pure/Zildjian A Custom era of Wrath. Recorded at NRG Recording Services in North Hollywood with producer Josh Wilbur (their first record without producer Machine/Mark Lewis since Ashes of the Wake), Resolution's drum sound is the most dynamic and open-sounding in Lamb of God's catalog.

"Desolation" features Adler's most complex polyrhythmic patterns on any Lamb of God record — staggered kick placement against syncopated right-hand work across multiple metric layers. "Ghost Walking" showcases his Grammy-nominated groove metal mastery: China cymbal accents placed with surgical precision, pivot technique hi-hat dynamics, and double-bass patterns sustained at 155 BPM.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Mapex Black Panther Velvetone Series (maple/walnut hybrid, dual 22×18" kick, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms)
- **Snare:** Mapex Chris Adler Signature Warbird, 12" x 5.5" (maple, SONIClear bearing edge)
- **Cymbals:** Meinl Byzance series (13" Traditional hi-hats, 18"/19"/20" crashes, 21" Dark Ride, 18" and 20" Brilliant Chinas, 10" Traditional Splash)
- **Pedals:** Mapex Falcon (direct-drive, dual single setup)
- **Hardware:** Mapex Falcon Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Throne; Mapex IQ Rack
- **Sticks:** Promark Chris Adler Signature TX5AXW (American hickory)
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear (kick batter), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter), Remo Controlled Sound Coated (snare batter)

### The Mapex Black Panther Velvetone: Signature Return

The return to Mapex after the Pearl Reference Pure era brought the maple/walnut Velvetone hybrid's distinct tonal character to Resolution. Walnut layers add body and sustain to maple's natural attack — the combination sits differently in Josh Wilbur's more open production approach, with more articulate attack and complex walnut warmth in the sustain. Dual 22"×18" bass drums maintained from the Wrath configuration; SONIClear bearing edges for consistent head response.

### The Warbird Snare: Speed and Crack

The Mapex Chris Adler Signature Warbird at 12"×5.5" is the smallest snare in Lamb of God's studio history. The smaller diameter prioritizes speed and ghost-note response over the body and sustain of the larger DW and Pearl snares used on Sacrament and Wrath. Critical for "Desolation"'s ghost-note density and "Ghost Walking"'s rapid snare work across the verse groove.

### Meinl Byzance Return: Dark and Complex

The Byzance series' hand-hammered, dark tonal character contrasts sharply with the Zildjian A Custom brightness of the previous two albums. The 21" Byzance Dark Ride, dual Byzance Brilliant Chinas (18" and 20"), and compact 13" Traditional hi-hats define Resolution's top-end sound — warmer China attacks, richer crash overtones, and a more complex ride presence than the A Custom era delivered.

## Key Facts

- Billboard 200 debut at #3 — Lamb of God's highest-charting album
- Grammy nomination for Best Hard Rock/Metal Performance ("Ghost Walking", 56th Grammy Awards, 2014)
- Recorded at NRG Recording Services, North Hollywood, with producer Josh Wilbur
- Chris Adler's return to Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit
- Mapex Chris Adler Signature Warbird snare (12"×5.5") — smallest snare in LoG studio history
- Return to Meinl Byzance cymbals after Zildjian A Custom era (Sacrament + Wrath)
- Fills the Wrath (2009) → VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) arc
- "Desolation" features Adler's most complex polyrhythmic patterns
- Mapex Falcon direct-drive pedals — complete Mapex ecosystem
- Estimated kit value: $4,000-6,000 (2012 Black Panther Velvetone configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $400-500 (Mapex Warbird Signature)

## Internal Links

- [Chris Adler drummer profile](/drummer/chris-adler)
- [Wrath drum setup (2009)](/articles/wrath-drum-setup)
- [Sacrament drum setup (2006)](/articles/sacrament-drum-setup)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/resolution-drum-setup

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*Last updated: 2026-06-27 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*