When founding drummer Chris Adler and metal titans Lamb Of God parted ways in 2019, many fans were left wondering about the true circumstances. While the band announced his departure and moved forward with new drummer Art Cruz, Adler has now revealed that he was, in fact, fired from the band he co-founded. In a comprehensive new interview on Loaded Radio, Adler opened up for the first time at length about the health issues and internal band dynamics that led to his dismissal.
A primary factor, Adler disclosed, was his diagnosis around late 2016 or early 2017 with musician’s dystonia, a neurological condition severely impairing the use of his right foot – a critical component for any drummer.
“I haven’t talked about this before, but I had… I was diagnosed with something called musician’s dystonia,” Adler stated (as transcribed by Metal Injection). “I didn’t want to talk about it at the time because I felt like it would really hinder my career. But I’ve gone through an incredible amount of work to be able to come back from it.”
He described the condition, which can affect musicians who perform repetitive motions for decades, as a “kind of death sentence.” Adler elaborated, “Mine was with my right foot. Dystonia is basically a neurological condition where the nerve that controls the movement of any particular body part deteriorates to the point where that motion becomes impossible… I would be playing a song and my foot, when I intended it to depress the pedal, would shoot off to the side or shoot back. That was at the point where I was coming off stage just so depressed with my performance.”
He mentioned that other musicians, like Alex Webster and Nickelback drummer Daniel, have faced similar issues. Adler provided medical documentation to his bandmates and suggested modifications for a few problematic songs, but the situation remained a point of frustration.
Compounding his health struggles were rising tensions within Lamb Of God, particularly after Adler lent his formidable talents to high-profile albums like Megadeth‘s 2016 Grammy-winning Dystopia and Protest The Hero‘s 2013 release Volition.
“At the time, I had also joined Megadeth. Tensions were really high,” Adler said. “We were never the most functional group of people traveling around the world… I think the combination of things got to the point where they didn’t want to deal with it, and I wasn’t happy with my performances. So that kind of stopped the train.”
The actual moment of his dismissal was abrupt and impersonal. “It was one of those emails: ‘Your services are no longer required’ kind of thing,” Adler revealed. “And that was devastating. It really was—I felt like it was my baby. It was my project. I put my life into it. It was my identity.”
The firing sent Adler into a period of emotional turmoil and soul-searching as he grappled with his future. “I was more depressed and kind of searching for who I am and what I’m going to do next,” he confessed. “I knew that I wanted to play. But it would be stupid for me to try to compete with what I had done before, because we really did way more than anybody—including ourselves—thought we could have done.” He added, “I really think I got off the train at a very good time. It was just because of the other circumstances that contributed to it that it was difficult for me to find any relief in that.”
Now, with time and perspective, Adler says he has come to terms with the band’s decision and harbors no ill will, though the initial impact was profound.
“It was devastating to me—it really was. Like I said, I really considered that kind of my life’s work,” he reflected. “But, you know, from my side of the street, I understand. I wasn’t capable of playing the songs that we really needed to be playing… there were two or three songs—that were fairly popular, and I understand that would cause them to pause.”
He concluded, “So, I did take it hard. I did take it personally. And it sent me spiraling for a little while. But I’ve worked through those resentments, and I’ve got nothing but love for them.”
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