LAMB OF GOD Drummer: 'We're Pushing Ourselves Harder Than We Ever Have'

Simon Milburn of Australia's The Metal Forge recently conducted an interview with drummer Chris Adler of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD. A couple of excerpts from the chat follow below.

On the band's commercial success:

"The past couple of years have been pretty amazing for the band. It's certainly unexpected. We started in 1994, so it's almost 15 years now, and it's really been a slow process. There's no big step. There was no radio hit. There was no jump to the front kind of thing. We paid our dues over and over and over. We learnt our lessons and made our way. Although I agree with you — we're kind of beginning to break out of the crowd a little bit, but it's been a hard road and we are very, very happy about it. But we also realise how lucky we are and we're still very humble about it. Like I mentioned on the DVD that we put out, in many ways we are no longer the underdog. We're kind of the target where people want to get to. I think it's easier to be the underdog. It's harder to maintain a level of success. So that's where we're at right now. We're pushing ourselves harder than we ever have so that we not only maintain that, but surpass it."

On the fact that the band has had to slog it out for 15 years to get where they are today:

"There's no way that if it had happened within six months or a year that we would ever really understand what it takes to get through all those hurdles, the things that you come through, the difficult times that are really always a pain in the ass — that's what builds the character and integrity of any project, not just music. You don't go from two years old to thirty years old — there's a lot of lessons that have to learn on the way through, and we've definitely made sure to keep our eyes open and treat people the way we want to be treated. So, yeah, I think it's been very important to take it slow. In fact, had it been any faster, it would seem fake some how. I'm sure that if we had the success we have now when we were kids, we probably would have all died just not being able to handle it."

On being part of one of the biggest metal bands around today:

"As much as I appreciate you saying that, it's really hard for me to think of myself that way. I'm still very, very busy working harder to make the band better and bigger and tomorrow is always bigger than today. I purposely kind of not allow myself to think about it that way. In fact, all the plaques and awards, Grammy nominations and all that stuff, I have in a box in my basement. Not because I'm not proud of them, not because I don't think that they're special, but when this is over, I'll hang them up and think about those good times and kind of smell the roses. While we're still working, I don't want the reminders of success. I want to keep pushing myself to be better than today. While I'm flattered that you say it, and we certainly seem to be hearing that a little more often these days than before, I think we still have a lot of work to do."

On just how far he thinks the band can go.

"I don't know. We're not getting any younger and especially the new album was quite a challenge. It's some of the fastest and heaviest stuff since the 'As The Palaces Burn' record. We challenge ourselves and we push ourselves very hard and we have a position that if we're not able to out do our last effort, we're not able to evolve as a band and keep each other interested in the project and pushing forward and doing something that is, I don't want to say better, but different and inspiring, more so than our last effort, then we should stop and not tarnish the legacy. So I don't know how long we can keep it up. In fact, with the new record, it's really the first time I'm really very proud of this record. We learned a lot of lessons in recording 'Sacrament' and 'Ashes Of The Wake' but we also seemed to lose a little bit of edge that we had before those records. I think this record is the first time we've captured the right balance of experienced song writing and just pure aggression of real metal. I think it's going to be very, very difficult for us to top this in a couple of years' time. So, we'll see man. I don't want to say that we can't. But right now, it'd be very, very hard to."

On the amount of pressure the band felt when it came time to write the follow-up to "Sacrament":

"Well, in coming out of every record, it's kind of difficult to begin or finish anything. It has to somehow be better and that's hard to define what better is. There has to be something about it more interesting, more creative, some sort of evolution for the band. The pressure that we put on ourselves, the five of us, is certainly greater than any expectations or label or critic could ever imagine. There's no real outside forces when the five of us are in the room together writing songs. We are our harshest critics. As with every album, it gets harder and harder and that filter gets a little tighter and tighter on what is actually better than what we've already done. If we're going to keep doing this, we want it to be better. So, self-imposed was the pressure and it was certainly more intense on this record than on any of the others because we had to make sure we outdo ourselves. I think we took it pretty extreme on this record. We really pushed each other very hard. It was difficult at times because there were things, like on the 'Palaces' record, where we weren't sure that we were actually good enough to do that. We would certainly try and we'll see if we can get it down by the time the recording studio is booked and if not, we'll figure out something else. So those were the kinds of things we were pushing each other to do and it came out awesome. I'm very proud to be in a band that chose to go in this direction. A lot of bands kind of soften up a little bit as they go. It's cool for me. Maybe this won't be as successful. Maybe it won't do as well as 'Sacrament'. But in the end, there's a lot more integrity in the choice that we made to do something even heavier than our last effort."

Read the entire interview from The Metal Forge.

On Tuesday, February 24, LAMB OF GOD will release its latest album entitled "Wrath". In conjunction with the LP's launch, the band's Escape The Plague contest site will go live at lamb-of-god.com/escapetheplague. As previously announced, the first 100,000 copies of the physical CD will contain a coded card insert that will enable 100 fans to win extraordinary prizes. One of those prizes anticipated to be quickly claimed are two trips for two to see LAMB OF GOD at a major U.K. festival. It can now be revealed that the highly coveted trip will be to see LAMB OF GOD support METALLICA at Knebworth Park on August 2.

The "Wrath" album will be released in four configurations: an LP, a CD, a deluxe-edition CD with bonus disc — which contains isolated recording parts — as well as a super-deluxe version featuring a limited-edition box containing an LP, deluxe-edition CD and USB drive containing two exclusive bonus tracks.

To pre-order the album and get more details on these configurations go to lambofgod.com.

The LAMB OF GOD North American "Wrath" tour kicks off April 2 in Phoenix, Arizona with AS I LAY DYING, CHILDREN OF BODOM, GOD FORBID, and MUNICIPAL WASTE supporting.