# Lamb of God 'Wrath' Drum Setup — Chris Adler's Grammy-Nominated 2009 Kit

> Discover Chris Adler's drum setup on Lamb of God's Grammy-nominated Wrath (2009) — Pearl Reference Pure kit, Zildjian A Custom cymbals, #3 Billboard 200 debut.

**Type:** Album Drum Setup
**Drummer(s):** [Chris Adler](/llms/drummers/chris-adler.md)
**Band / Album:** Lamb of God — *Wrath* (2009)
**Genre:** Groove Metal / New Wave of American Heavy Metal

## Overview

Released on February 24, 2009, Lamb of God's "Wrath" debuted at #3 on the Billboard 200 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance for "Set to Fail" at the 52nd Grammy Awards (2010). It represents Chris Adler at the commercial and technical peak of his groove-metal drumming career.

Chris Adler's full transition to the Pearl Reference Pure kit — a 6-ply maple/mahogany hybrid shell design — was the defining gear development of the Wrath era. Recorded at Sonic Ranch in Tornillo, Texas with producer Machine (Mark Lewis) for their third consecutive collaboration, Wrath's drum sound is simultaneously more physical and more ambient than Sacrament's Capitol Studios recording.

The Zildjian A Custom cymbal setup carried over from Sacrament (2006), now refined by three years of touring experience. The Pearl Eliminator Demon Drive pedals complemented the kit switch to a complete Pearl ecosystem.

## Gear Breakdown

- **Drums:** Pearl Reference Pure (6-ply maple/mahogany hybrid, dual 22×18" kick, 10"/12" rack toms, 14"/16" floor toms)
- **Snare:** Pearl Free-Floating Maple Snare, 14" x 6.5"
- **Cymbals:** Zildjian A Custom series (13" hi-hats, 16"/17"/18" crashes, 20" ride, 18" China, 10" splash)
- **Pedals:** Pearl Eliminator Demon Drive (dual single setup)
- **Hardware:** Pearl H-2050 Eliminator Hi-Hat Stand; Roc-N-Soc Nitro Throne
- **Sticks:** Promark Chris Adler Signature TX517W (16.125", American hickory)
- **Heads:** Remo Powerstroke P3 Clear (kick batter), Remo Emperor Clear (tom batter), Remo Controlled Sound Coated (snare batter)

### The Pearl Reference Pure: Adler's Groove Metal Pinnacle

Pearl's Reference Pure shells use a 6-ply maple/mahogany hybrid construction that produces warmer low-mids than pure maple — the mahogany adds body and sustain while the outer maple plies maintain attack and projection. The dual 22"×18" bass drums maintained the configuration from Sacrament, with Pearl's Opti-Loc mounting and SST (Superior Shell Technology) allowing unrestricted shell resonance.

The transition from DW Collector's Series (Sacrament) to Pearl Reference Pure gave Wrath's drums a denser, more physical presence in the mix — audible in the kick's rounder low end on "Contractor" and "Grace."

### The Wrath Snare: Pearl Free-Floating System

Pearl's free-floating strainer system removes hardware contact points from the shell entirely, allowing the snare drum to vibrate without restriction. The result on Wrath is a snare with more open resonance and fuller crack than Sacrament's DW die-cast setup — heavier body, slightly more ambient decay, perfectly suited to Sonic Ranch's larger tracking spaces.

### Zildjian A Custom Cymbals (Touring-Refined)

The A Custom setup carried directly from Sacrament with three years of live refinement. By 2009, Adler's pivot technique and China accent language had completely integrated with these cymbal models. Machine's Wrath mix positioned the cymbals slightly differently than Sacrament — crashes sitting a touch lower to let the Pearl kit's low-mid presence breathe, China attack preserved in full.

## Key Facts

- Billboard 200 debut at #3 — commercial peak for Lamb of God
- Grammy nomination for Best Metal Performance ("Set to Fail", 52nd Grammy Awards, 2010)
- Recorded at Sonic Ranch, Tornillo, Texas with producer Machine (Mark Lewis)
- Chris Adler's full transition to Pearl Reference Pure kit
- Zildjian A Custom cymbals carried over from Sacrament era (touring-refined)
- Fills the Sacrament (2006) → Resolution (2012) arc in LoG discography
- "Contractor" and "Set to Fail" became defining live staples of the Wrath cycle
- Pearl Reference Pure — 6-ply maple/mahogany hybrid shells
- Dual 22×18" bass drums (consistent configuration from Sacrament)
- Pearl Eliminator Demon Drive pedals completing Pearl ecosystem
- Free-floating snare for unrestricted shell resonance
- Estimated kit value: $4,000-6,000 (2009 Pearl Reference Pure configuration)
- Estimated snare value: $600-800 (2009 Pearl Free-Floating Maple snare)

## Internal Links

- [Chris Adler drummer profile](/drummer/chris-adler)
- [Sacrament drum setup (2006)](/articles/sacrament-drum-setup)
- [Ashes of the Wake drum setup (2004)](/articles/ashes-of-the-wake-drum-setup)

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

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*Last updated: 2026-06-25 · Source: [MetalForge.io](https://metalforge.io)*