Chris Adler, the founding drummer of Lamb of God, has confirmed that he and his younger brother Willie Adler have not been in contact since Chris left the band in 2019. The two had played together for over two decades, helping shape one of modern metal’s most influential groups. But as Chris revealed in a recent interview, the split wasn’t just about music; it fractured a lifelong relationship.

“We are estranged,” Adler said quietly during a conversation with MetalSucks. “We haven’t spoken since I got kicked out.” The line was short, but it hit with weight. For longtime fans of the band, it’s a sobering confirmation that the fallout ran deeper than anyone outside the group had previously known.

Chris Adler and Willie were at the heart of Lamb of God’s rise from local underground heroes to international metal mainstays. The band’s early albums, particularly Ashes of the Wake and Sacrament, owed much of their power to Chris’s sharp, precise drumming, which gave the band its punch and technical edge. Willie’s guitar work was equally vital. Together, they made up half of a rhythm section that never lost its grit, even as the band’s audience grew.

But in 2017, things began to shift. Chris was involved in a serious motorcycle accident that left him unable to perform for a time. While Lamb of God continued to tour with a temporary replacement, fans held onto hope that Chris would return. That never happened. By mid-2019, the band formally announced that Art Cruz would be stepping in permanently. Officially, the decision was presented as amicable. But the lack of detail left room for doubt.

Chris had remained quiet about the specifics until now. His recent statement makes it clear that the decision to leave the band wasn’t his, and that it had consequences far beyond the stage. The fact that he and Willie haven’t spoken since suggests the break was more personal than fans may have realized.

In the years since, Chris has kept moving. He’s played with his current band, Firstborne, taken on production work, and stayed active in the music world. Lamb of God has continued touring and releasing new material without missing a step. But something’s been missing.

For a band built on tight bonds and relentless touring, this kind of split leaves a scar. Fans had hoped, quietly, that the brothers might one day reconnect, maybe even play together again. As it stands now, that reconciliation feels far off.