Lamb of God

Lamb of God

Lamb of God is an American metal group from Richmond, Virginia. The band forms in 1999 and continues to perform and record.

Formation and early years

The band’s roots go back to 1990, when Mark Morton, Chris Adler and John Campbell meet at Virginia Commonwealth University and begin playing together at Adler’s house in Richmond. At first they play instrumental material under the name Burn the Priest. Morton later moves to Chicago for a master’s degree, but the group continues, and Randy Blythe joins on vocals after Morton returns. Abe Spear also plays guitar in the early line-up.

Burn the Priest release a self-titled album on Legion Records before Willie Adler replaces Spear on guitar. In 1999 the group changes its name to Lamb of God and signs to Prosthetic Records. Their early work develops in the Richmond scene, where the band adopts a strict rehearsal routine and is shaped by local bands including Breadwinner and Sliang Laos.

Albums and career development

The band’s independent debut as Lamb of God is New American Gospel in 2000. Two years of touring follow, then As the Palaces Burn in 2003 brings wider attention and earns record-of-the-year recognition from magazines including Revolver and Metal Hammer. The band also appears in mainstream outlets such as Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly.

In 2003 the group co-headlines the first MTV Headbanger’s Ball Tour. It also releases the DVD Terror and Hubris, which includes early live footage, videos for “Ruin” and “Black Label,” and behind-the-scenes material. In 2004 the band issues Ashes of the Wake on Epic Records. The album sells more than 275,000 copies by mid-2006 and is named album of the year by Revolver. A Guitar World readers poll names it best metal album and gives the band recognition for playing, shredding and riffs. The video for “Now You’ve Got Something to Die For” wins best video from both Headbanger’s Ball and Revolver, and the tour DVD Killadelphia goes gold.

Sacrament follows in 2006 after an intensive writing period. The album explores more personal subject matter, including addiction, alcoholism, codependency and suicidal depression. In 2009 the band releases Wrath, which debuts at number 2 on the Billboard 200. The track “Set to Fail” receives a Grammy nomination.

Line-up changes, hiatuses and later releases

Randy Blythe is arrested in the Czech Republic in 2012 and later released on bail. Plans for new recording are delayed by legal costs and the band’s lack of activity during that period. Blythe later says he will take a break from Lamb of God, and the group enters a hiatus except for festival appearances.

In 2015 Lamb of God releases VII: Sturm und Drang on Epic and Nuclear Blast Entertainment. The album title refers to the band’s seventh studio release if Burn the Priest is excluded. The single “Still Echoes” is issued ahead of the album, and the video “512” follows. In 2016 the band releases the EP The Duke, which includes two tracks from the VII: Sturm und Drang sessions and three live recordings. The title track is dedicated to Wayne Ford, a fan and friend of Randy Blythe, and members of the band auction instruments, signed CDs, lyric books and gold records to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

In 2018 the band releases the cover album Legion: XX under the name Burn the Priest, returning to that identity for the first time since the 1999 release. In 2019 Chris Adler leaves the group and Art Cruz becomes the drummer. The band then begins work on its tenth album. Lamb of God, the self-titled album, follows in 2020 with “Checkmate” as the first single featuring Cruz. In 2021 the band releases “Ghost Shaped People” from the deluxe edition of the album.

Style and recognition

Lamb of God is associated with groove metal, metal, metalcore and related heavy styles, and is also tagged with thrash metal and death metal. The group is known for dense riffing, strong rhythmic focus and a demanding live work ethic. It remains one of the best-known American metal acts from Richmond.

Members

The current line-up includes Randy Blythe, Mark Morton, Willie Adler, John Campbell and Art Cruz. Chris Adler is a former member. Early members include Abe Spear, and the band originally performs as Burn the Priest before adopting the Lamb of God name.