LAMB OF GOD's CHRIS ADLER To Sit Out SLAYER Tour

LAMB OF GOD drummer Chris Adler will sit out the band's upcoming tour dates with SLAYER.

The North American trek, which also features ANTHRAX, TESTAMENT and NAPALM DEATH, is scheduled kick off tonight (Thursday, July 26) at Gilford, New Hampshire's Bank Of New Hampshire Pavilion.

LAMB OF GOD said in a statement: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, we regret to inform you that Chris Adler will not be performing on our upcoming North American tour with SLAYER. In his absence, we would like to welcome Art Cruz [PRONG, WINDS OF PLAGUE], who will be filling in at the recommendation of Chris. We expect to see Chris returning in the very near future. We will see you all on the road soon."

In addition to LAMB OF GOD, Adler has played drums with a number of metal artists, including MEGADETH, NITRO, BLOTTED SCIENCE and PROTEST THE HERO.

In a 2011 interview with Metal Insider, Adler said that he "absolutely" still felt challenged as a drummer. "Every day!" he said. "I think that's a secret that maybe nobody will let you know, that all of us are backstage with our fingers crossed. Holding on is a tricky rope. I just have to feel good about the songs that I write and performing them. They're rarely ever perfect, and I still get the jitters before we go onstage. I don't want to say I don't have any confidence as a drummer. I listen back and hear cool stuff and realize that I'm playing in a cool band, but I don't walk into it with a bunch of ego either. I don't go into the studio with the guys and think to myself, 'Hey, you're one special drummer that people write about in magazines.' I still have to challenge and prove it to myself all the time. I guess I'm a bit self-conscious about it in that I want to be as good as I can for the band. So yeah, it hasn't really changed over time. I've always wanted to never allow myself to, whether it's true or if I've gotten to that place where you're talking about, I haven't allowed myself to swallow that yet."

Adler spoke about his early drumming influences during a separate interview with Metal Underground. He said: "When I started playing, which was a little bit late, around 21, I had already had gone through those teen years where you idolize a certain band or certain guy or you fall in love with an instrument. I definitely enjoy playing drums, but it's not, for me, the be-all-end-all. So, when I got around to listening to hear what I liked or didn't like about certain drummers, it wasn't about a particular band was cool. It was more about what the drummer was offering. It wasn't even drummer-specific. It wasn't always just metal players.

"As far as metal, which I've always been a fan of, guys that I thought were doing something unique and different, and made me want to play, first and foremost, was a band called WRATHCHILD AMERICA," he added. "The guy, Shannon Larkin, now plays with GODSMACK and has played with a million people since the WRATHCHILD days. The stuff he did with WRATHCHILD AMERICA was the same kind of thing that any great drummer does — he was really elevating that music with his voice on the drum kit."

LAMB OF GOD is touring in support of its covers album, "Legion: XX", which was released under the BURN THE PRIEST banner on May 18 via Nuclear Blast in Europe and Epic Records in the U.S.