# Lamb of God 'VII: Sturm und Drang' Drum Setup — Chris Adler's Grammy-Nominated Farewell Studio Album

> Complete breakdown of Chris Adler's drum setup on Lamb of God's VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) — Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit, Meinl Byzance cymbals, the Grammy-nominated '512', and his final studio album with the band before departing in 2019.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Chris Adler](/llms/drummers/chris-adler.md)
**Band / Album:** Lamb of God — *VII: Sturm und Drang* (2015)
**Genre:** Groove Metal / New Wave of American Heavy Metal

## Overview

Released July 24, 2015 through Epic Records (Nuclear Blast internationally), "VII: Sturm und Drang" was Lamb of God's first album written after frontman Randy Blythe's acquittal on manslaughter charges in the Czech Republic (March 2013). The German title — "storm and drive/stress" — reflects that period's psychological weight; "512" is named for Blythe's cell number at Pankrác Prison. The album debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 (roughly 47,000 first-week copies) and topped the Canadian, UK Rock & Metal, and US Top Hard Rock Albums charts.

This is Chris Adler's final studio album of original material with Lamb of God before his 2019 departure. He recorded it on the same Mapex Black Panther Velvetone kit and Meinl Byzance cymbal setup established on Resolution (2012), with producer Josh Wilbur returning for a second consecutive album, sessions split between NRG Recording Studios (North Hollywood) and Suburban Soul Studios (Torrance). "512" earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance at the 58th Grammy Awards (2016), losing to Ghost's "Cirice" — Adler's third Grammy-nominated Lamb of God album.

Gear stayed almost entirely consistent with Resolution; what changed was the performance. Adler's playing on VII carries a looser, more groove-oriented feel than Resolution's polyrhythmic density, fitting the album's more atmospheric, direct songwriting.

## 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/walnut hybrid, 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: Unchanged from Resolution

The maple/walnut hybrid Velvetone kit carried over directly from Resolution — same dual 22"x18" bass drums, same tom geometry, same SONIClear bearing edges. By 2015 this was simply Adler's kit, road-tested across three years of touring and a second Josh Wilbur production.

### The Warbird Snare: A Shell Update

Adler's signature 12"x5.5" Warbird moved to a maple/walnut hybrid shell matching the Velvetone kit, adding low-mid body to the crack while keeping the same fast, ghost-note-friendly dimensions that have defined the snare since Sacrament.

### Meinl Byzance: The Established China Language

The Byzance cymbal lineup — including the signature 18" Brilliant China heard on "Overlord" and "512" — carried over unchanged from Resolution, now with three more years of touring precision behind every accent.

## Key Facts

- Billboard 200 debut at #3 — ~47,000 first-week copies, one of 2015's best-selling metal albums
- First Lamb of God album after Randy Blythe's Czech manslaughter acquittal (March 2013)
- Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance ("512", 58th Grammy Awards, 2016)
- Chris Adler's final studio album with Lamb of God before his 2019 departure
- Recorded at NRG Recording Studios and Suburban Soul Studios with producer Josh Wilbur
- Gear essentially unchanged from Resolution (2012) — Mapex Black Panther Velvetone / Meinl Byzance
- Performance shifted toward a looser, more groove-oriented feel than Resolution's polyrhythmic density
- Closes the Wrath (2009) → Resolution (2012) → VII (2015) arc of Adler's peak commercial era
- Estimated kit value: $4,000-6,000 (2015 Black Panther Velvetone configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $400-550 (2015 Mapex Warbird Signature, maple/walnut hybrid)

## Internal Links

- [Chris Adler drummer profile](/drummer/chris-adler)
- [Wrath drum setup (2009)](/articles/wrath-drum-setup)
- [Resolution drum setup (2012)](/articles/resolution-drum-setup)
- [Chris Adler vs. Joey Jordison](/compare/chris-adler-vs-joey-jordison)

**Source:** https://metalforge.io/articles/vii-sturm-und-drang-drum-setup

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