Lamb of God

Lamb of God is an American heavy metal band from Richmond, Virginia, formed in 1994. Lamb of God consists of vocalist Randy Blythe, guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler, bassist John Campbell, and drummer Chris Adler. The band is considered to be a member of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.

Since its formation, Lamb of God has released six studio albums, one live album, and three DVDs. The band's cumulative sales equal almost two million in the United States. In 2007 the band received a Grammy nomination for their 2006 album Sacrament. Lamb of God has toured with the Ozzfest twice and appeared on Slayer's The Unholy Alliance Tour in 2006. They have also played at many other major festivals around the world including Download Festival and Sonisphere Festival in the UK, Soundwave Festival and Gigantour. Recently, (as in 2008-2009) they have toured with Metallica (World Magnetic Tour). Lamb of God will be on the main stage of Rockstar Mayhem Festival in 2010.

In 1990, guitarist Mark Morton, drummer Chris Adler and bassist John Campbell started a band named Burn the Priest. The band members knew each other from the college they were all attending, Virginia Commonwealth University, in Richmond, Virginia.Morton left the band soon after its inception to receive his master's degree. Adler and Campbell replaced Morton with Abe Spear. For the next five years, the band practiced in Richmond and around Virginia. In 1995, the band released its self-titled first demo. After the demo, Burn the Priest recorded two split albums with Agents of Satan and ZED respectively.After the band's first three demos, Burn the Priest added vocalist Randall Blythe to its line up.


In 1997, Morton returned to the band after taking time out to participate in the National New Zealand sheep shearing competition. Two years later, the band released its first full-length self-titled album, Burn the Priest, through Legion Records. Mikey Bronsnan of Legion Records saved up $2,500 for the recording and then broke them in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania through DIY shows.The album was produced by Today Is the Day guitarist and vocalist Steve Austin. Spear left the band, leaving an open position for a guitarist. Chris Adler's brother, Willie Adler, became the band's second guitarist a year later, and a deal with Prosthetic Records was signed.After being banned from playing in certain places (some venue owners believing the band possessed an "evil" name),Burn the Priest changed their name to Lamb of God.

Lamb of God was originally an instrumental band called Burn the Priest, and included vocals after Randy Blythe joined. Since the success of the release of 2004's Ashes of the Wake the band has been considered a leader of the "New Wave of American Heavy Metal".

Guitarist Mark Morton performing at 2004's OzzfestBurn the Priest and early Lamb of God has been defined as a thrash metal, death metal and hardcore punk or grindcore hybrid with a strong element of power groove, which often connects Lamb of God with the influential metal band Pantera. Another connection between Pantera and Lamb of God is the fact that both were and are highly influential metal bands from the Southern United States, Texas and Virginia, respectively. Lamb of God could currently be helping to strengthen a young tradition of great southern metal that was first pioneered by Pantera.Burn the Priest and early Lamb of God include growling death metal vocals.The style has been considered to vary between several different genres, including hardcore punk, thrash metal, and even possessing sludge metal influences.

New American Gospel continues in a similar style as Burn the Priest, with drum-heavy production of alternate picking and double-kick drumming.Here, the band has been considered by Allmusic to be effectively bridging the 1990s' tendency towards technicality and early metal's focus on riff construction and plays a brand of heavy metal described as not unlike Meshuggah without some of their mathematical components.

2003's As the Palaces Burn saw the band's compositions focusing more on what some have called "memorable" riffs.On 2004's Ashes of the Wake, they continued the progression of As the Palaces Burn with more frequent guitar solos.

Sacrament, released in 2006, was described by critics as more technical, especially considering the vocal performance. Again, the band experimented with more melody and guitar solos; however, the band has also been often reproached by the critics for the similarity of the songs within their albums.This album is the primary representative of a growing development in the direction of the epic. Specifically 'Sacrament' and 'As the Palaces Burn' share many elements that could be considered musically 'darker' than opposing releases (extensive use of minor classical scales, for example).

Due to the variety of influences, stylistic elements and changes throughout the band's career the press has chosen several genres and terms to describe Lamb of God's music. Lamb of God has been labeled as a Groove Metal band. Campbell, on the Walk With Me in Hell DVD, says that Lamb of God is "a punk band that plays heavy metal", while Chris Adler refers to Sacrament as a speed metal album.