Grammy-nominated, chart-topping Richmond, Virginia-based metallers LAMB OF GOD will release their highly anticipated seventh full-length album, "VII: Sturm Und Drang", this July via Nuclear Blast Entertainment, with whom the band signed a record deal for all territories outside of North America. The CD was once again produced and mixed by Josh Wilbur with engineering by Wilbur, Nick Rowe and Kyle McAulay, and was recorded at NRG Recording Studios in North Hollywood, California and Suburban Soul Studios in Torrance, California.

"Still Echoes" will be available via all digital retailers and streaming services beginning Monday, May 18.

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe states: "The time has come to give the fans their first taste of the new LAMB OF GOD album.

"This is a very, very dark, yet sonically highly varied, record.

"As it's always good to come out of the gate hard with a fast and aggressive one, we chose this track, 'Still Echoes', to kick it off. Enjoy/destroy."

During a May 2010 LAMB OF GOD show in the Czech Republic, 19-year-old concertgoer Daniel Nosek sustained a head injury that allegedly led to the fan's death. Blythe was charged with manslaughter in the case, but was eventually acquitted.

"People shouldn't expect a prison record," Blythe tells RollingStone.com about "VII Sturm und Drang". "But I write about things that affect me very deeply. And going to prison in a foreign country and being charged with manslaughter will affect you — trust me — very deeply."

He adds that "Still Echoes" "is a history of [Prague's] Pankrác Prison," where he was incarcerated for over a month. The first line of "Still Echos" reads: "A thousand heads cut clean across their necks, right down the hall from me." Blythe says: "There was a guillotine right down the hall from me, from when the Nazis had the prison. From 1943 to 1945 they executed almost 2,000 people by the guillotine, because it was cheaper than shooting and quicker than hanging … They call it the Pankrác 'Saw Room' or the 'Axe Room. I sat there at night, and I’d think about all those dudes that got their heads chopped off— men and women — in that place not too far from me."

LAMB OF GOD has officially parted ways with drummer Chris Adler. His replacement is Art Cruz, who has previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE, and filled in for Adler on several LAMB OF GOD tours in the past year.

LAMB OF GOD announced Adler's exit from the band in a statement earlier today. The group wrote: "Dear LAMB OF GOD fans, we returned last week from a great European festival run and our final tour with SLAYER in North America. We are excited to keep the momentum going and dive into the next record.

"We'd like to officially welcome Art Cruz, who has been playing drums with us on tour for the last year, as the new drummer of LAMB OF GOD. Art will be joining us in the studio as we begin pre-production and recording of a new album.

"We're very proud of everything this band has accomplished over the last two decades. We would like to thank Chris Adler for his contributions over the years and wish him the best in his future endeavors."