Ex-Lamb of God Drummer Chris Adler: Playing on Megadeth’s ‘Dystopia’ Album Was a Really Important Part of My Journey
In the dimly lit rehearsal room of a Nashville studio in late 2015, the sound of Chris Adler’s drums thundered against the walls like controlled lightning. To the casual observer, it may have just been another practice session. But to Adler, it was the beginning of a chapter that would forever change his artistic path — a chapter written in syncopated rhythms, double-bass fury, and the unmistakable aura of a band that had helped define thrash metal itself: Megadeth.
When Adler received the call from Dave Mustaine, it wasn’t the kind of offer a seasoned metal drummer takes lightly. “At first, I thought he was joking,” Adler once recalled. “Dave doesn’t just call you out of nowhere unless it’s something big.” That “something big” turned out to be Dystopia, an album that would not only mark a creative rebirth for Megadeth but also go on to win a Grammy for Best Metal Performance in 2017.
For Adler, who was still drumming full-time for Lamb of God, the timing couldn’t have been more intense. “I was splitting myself between two incredibly demanding bands,” he said. “But I felt this pull. I knew I had to do it — not just for the opportunity, but for what it could teach me about music, about collaboration, and about myself.”
The Creative Firestorm
Recording Dystopia was far from routine. Mustaine and bassist David Ellefson had a clear vision: a record that brought back the razor-sharp aggression of Megadeth’s early work while incorporating fresh energy. Adler’s job was to be both an anchor and a storm.
“He had a way of describing drum parts like colors,” Adler explained. “He’d say, ‘I want this to feel like red and black colliding’ — and somehow, I knew exactly what he meant.” The sessions were grueling, often stretching late into the night, with every fill, every cymbal crash, dissected and fine-tuned.
Yet Adler embraced the challenge. “It pushed me way beyond my comfort zone,” he said. “In Lamb of God, my style had become second nature, but with Megadeth, I had to re-learn the architecture of thrash from the ground up.”
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The Human Side of Metal Legends
One of Adler’s most vivid memories came during a late-night session, when Mustaine, sitting cross-legged on the studio floor, began telling stories about the early days of Megadeth — the hunger, the failures, the moments they almost didn’t make it.
“I realized then that beneath all the headlines and the mythology, these were human beings who had fought and clawed their way through decades of this business,” Adler said. “It gave me a whole new respect for what they do.”
The camaraderie extended beyond the studio. During breaks in the recording, the band would share meals, trade jokes, and sometimes debate politics and philosophy deep into the night. “We didn’t always agree,” Adler admitted with a laugh, “but those conversations brought us closer as musicians.”
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On the Road with Megadeth
Once Dystopia was finished, Adler joined Megadeth on the road. For a drummer used to the ferocity of Lamb of God’s pits, the experience was both familiar and alien. Megadeth’s audience brought a different energy — a blend of old-school headbangers, younger thrash disciples, and fans who had followed the band through every reinvention.
“The first time I played ‘Holy Wars’ live with them, I felt this wave of history hit me,” Adler said. “It wasn’t just a song — it was an anthem that had shaped an entire generation of metal musicians, myself included.”
Touring also meant adapting to Megadeth’s precision-heavy setlist. “Dave’s guitar work is insanely technical, and as a drummer, you have to lock into that without fail,” he explained. “There’s no hiding behind stage volume or adrenaline — every note counts.”
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Why It Mattered
For Adler, the Dystopia era wasn’t just about lending his skills to another band. It was about transformation.
“It made me look at my craft differently,” he reflected. “I learned discipline on a new level. I learned how to play with surgical precision without losing the emotional punch. And I learned the value of stepping into someone else’s world and serving their vision instead of just my own.”
This was why he called it “a really important part of my journey.” It wasn’t just a line for an interview — it was a personal truth. The album had given him not only a Grammy on his shelf, but a deeper connection to the very roots of heavy metal drumming.
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The Legacy of Dystopia
Years later, Dystopia stands as one of Megadeth’s most celebrated late-era works. Tracks like “The Threat Is Real” and the title song have become modern staples in their setlists. Fans still praise the album’s tight, almost surgical execution — a precision Adler played no small role in achieving.
“I still hear from Megadeth fans who thank me for my contribution,” Adler said. “That means the world to me, because it tells me I brought something unique to their music, even for a short time.”
Though Adler would eventually return to focusing solely on Lamb of God, the echoes of his time with Megadeth remain. In the years since, he has carried those lessons into every project, every collaboration, and every live performance.
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Looking Back, Looking Forward
When asked if he would ever consider working with Megadeth again, Adler smiles and pauses before answering. “Never say never,” he says. “But even if it never happens, I’ll always look back on that time as one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. It wasn’t just about making an album. It was about growing as a person.”
In the end, Chris Adler’s journey through Dystopia was less about drumming for a legendary band and more about finding a new dimension to his artistry. As he puts it: “Sometimes the biggest leaps in your career aren’t the ones you plan — they’re the ones that catch you off guard and challenge you to rise higher than you thought possible.”
And for Adler, that leap came with the pounding of double bass, the sharp crack of a snare, and the unmistakable roar of Dystopia.
