Lamb of God are set to release their highly anticipated new self-titled album in May, and Metal Injection sat down with Randy Blythe to talk about it in a new video interview we posted last week.
Blythe was very candid and noted that ultimately, he does not enjoy recording new albums.
"I hate making records. I hated making this record, I've hated making every single record I've ever made. I do not enjoy it. I like touring, I like getting on stage raging and seeing everybody going the fuck off, and that communication, that exchange of energy with the audience. The process of making a record is a necessary evil to me with my band because it's just not fun, so it's always a challenge.
"That being said, this was the most relaxed collaborative – I think – thing that we've done, ever. I will never say, 'I had a good time making a record' – because I didn't. I go to bed with a headache every night; physically, it hurts. My throat hurts, my head hurts, my ears are ringing, I hear myself singing the same line over and over and over as I go to sleep, it's like, 'Repeat, shut up, shut up,' so it kind of drives me crazy.
"That's why I can't be at home when I record. I'm not fit to be around my friends, my family, I have to leave and go immerse myself in that world."
Blythe talked about the political nature of the record and who he writes the lyrics for.
"People are like, 'Why aren't more bands writing political records or records that are commentaries? Why is everybody pulling away from that? Why aren't the younger bands in it?' or, 'Why aren't older bands in it?' And I think people are scared because of the toxic nature of the internet and everybody, they're afraid people are gonna say, 'Fuck them!' But guess what? I don't fucking care. Because people are gonna say 'fuck them' regardless, no matter what we do. So, some people won't like it – I don't care, I like it. I don't care at all.
We make music for five people. This may offend some people but once again, I don't care. We make records for the five dudes in Lamb of God. We have to like it, and as long as we like it, then it's a success. Luckily, a lot of people seem to continually like it, and I think the record will do well. I think we'll ruffle some feathers, but that's okay. I'm not in a Top 40 band, I'm not here to make everybody happy."
Metal Injection's Frank Godla also asked Blythe if he thinks the band could follow in Slayer's foot steps and be "the next Slayer," so to speak:
"I've heard that from other people. We were the main support for every leg of their final tour except for the last one. I mean, we did, like, four legs or something — we went everywhere. And it's, like, [people have said] 'They're passing the torch. They're handing you the crown.' And it's, like, there was no secret ceremony where we all sat down and [Slayer guitarist] Kerry King was, like, 'I give you the place of Slayer. Here's the Slayer throne. Here's the keys to all our unholy wonders in our secret Slayer vault.' There was none of that.
"I'm not really worried about taking Slayer's place, because we never will take Slayer's place," he continued. "No one will ever take Slayer's place. Slayer was an entity unto themselves — they helped create this style of music that we descend from. They're forefathers of ours — but so is Black Sabbath, so is Elvis [Presley], so is Robert Johnson, and all the way back to the blues. And I haven't taken Robert Johnson's place. I'm not worried about taking Slayer's place."
Watch the full interview below, where Blythe also goes into detail about what it was like working with new drummer Art Cruz.
Lamb of God are planning to hit the road this summer with Megadeth, Trivium, and In Flames. Dates below.
6/12/20 Bristow, VA Jiffy Lube Live [Tickets]
6/13/20 Charlotte, NC PNC Music Pavilion [Tickets]
6/14/20 Raleigh, NC Red Hat Amphitheater [Tickets]
6/16/20 Virginia Beach, VA Veterans United Home Loans Amphitheater [Tickets]
6/17/20 Wantagh, NY Northwell Health at Jones Beach Theater [Tickets]
6/18/20 Camden, NJ BB&T Pavilion [Tickets]
6/20/20 Holmdel, NJ PNC Bank Arts Center [Tickets]
6/21/20 Boston, MA Rockland Trust Bank Pavilion [Tickets]
6/23/20 Syracuse, NY St. Joseph's Health Amphitheater at Lakeview [Tickets]
6/24/20 Providence, RI Bold Point Park [Tickets]
6/26/20 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Amphitheater [Tickets]
6/28/20 Burgettstown, PA S&T Bank Music Park* [Tickets]
6/29/20 Toronto, ON Budweiser Stage [Tickets]
7/1/20 Detroit, MI DTE Energy Music Theatre [Tickets]
7/2/20 Mount Pleasant, MI Soaring Eagle Casino Amphitheatre [Tickets]
7/3/20 Indianapolis, IN Ruoff Music Center [Tickets]
7/5/20 Atlanta, GA Ameris Bank Amphitheatre [Tickets]
7/7/20 Cincinnati, OH PNC PAVILION [Tickets]
7/8/20 Cleveland, OH Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica [Tickets]
7/10/20 Chicago, IL Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – Chicago, IL [Tickets]
7/11/20 St. Louis, MO Hollywood Casino Amphitheatre – St. Louis, MO* [Tickets]
7/12/20 Nashville, TN Nashville Municipal Auditorium [Tickets]
7/14/20 Rogers, AR Walmart AMP* [Tickets]
7/16/20 Austin, TX Germania Insurance Amphitheater [Tickets]
7/17/20 Houston, TX The Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion [Tickets]
7/18/20 Irving, TX The Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory+ [Tickets]
7/20/20 Albuquerque, NM Isleta Amphitheater [Tickets]
7/21/20 Phoenix, AZ Arizona Federal Theatre [Tickets]
7/23/20 Irvine, CA FivePoint Amphitheatre [Tickets]
7/25/20 Auburn, WA White River Amphitheatre [Tickets]
7/26/20 Portland, OR Moda Center [Tickets]
7/29/20 Salt Lake City, UT USANA Amphitheatre [Tickets]
7/30/20 Pocatello, ID Portneuf Health Trust Amphitheatre [Tickets]
8/1/20 Concord, CA Concord Pavilion
9/2/20 West Palm Beach, FL iTHINK Financial Amphitheatre [Tickets]
9/6/20 Birmingham, AL Oak Mountain Amphitheatre [Tickets]
9/7/20 New Orleans, LA UNO Lakefront Arena [Tickets]
9/9/20 Corpus Christi, TX American Bank Center Arena [Tickets]
9/11/20 El Paso, TX Don Haskins Center [Tickets]
9/14/20 Springfield, MO JQH Arena [Tickets]
9/16/20 Kansas City, MO Sprint Center [Tickets]
9/21/20 Columbus, OH Schottenstein Center [Tickets]
9/23/20 Huntington, WV Mountain Health Arena [Tickets]
9/24/20 Bethlehem, PA The Wind Creek Event Center [Tickets]
9/27/20 Quebec City, QC Centre Videotron [Tickets]
9/28/20 Laval, QC Place Bell [Tickets]
9/30/20 St. Paul, MN Armory [Tickets]
9/31/20 Green Bay, WI Resch Center* [Tickets]
10/2/20 Omaha, NE Baxter Arena [Tickets]
10/3/20 Sioux Falls, SD Denny Sanford PREMIER Center [Tickets]
10/5/20 Denver, CO Pepsi Center [Tickets]
10/7/20 Las Vegas, NV Mandalay Bay Events Center [Tickets]
10/10/20 Spokane, WA Spokane Arena [Tickets]
10/11/20 Nampa, ID Ford Idaho Center Arena [Tickets]
10/13/20 Reno, NV Reno Events Center [Tickets]
Pick up the new self-titled album, Lamb Of God, available on May 8th.
