LAMB OF GOD's MARK MORTON: 'I'm Really Proud' To Have ART CRUZ In Our Band

Richmond, Virginia-based metallers LAMB OF GOD will release their new, self-titled album on May 8 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to 2015's "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marks LAMB OF GOD's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined the band last year as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

Speaking to Zippo Encore's Jose Mangin, LAMB OF GOD guitarist Mark Morton stated about the band's new disc (see video below): "We're so proud of this album, man. I can't wait for everybody to hear it. I think that creatively we really hit a stride. We still feel really inspired. We feel a lot of momentum creatively. I think we sort of found this space where we're confident in a way that maybe it took us a while to get here. We feel like we belong where we are. We're a veteran band. We're all in our mid-, late 40s, so we've been doing this a long time. I think personally, individually, as a group, the dynamic between us all, the vibe in the band, the music we're making, it's all kind of at a really comfortable, cool motivated, exciting space for us."

Morton also talked about the addition of Cruz, who had previously played with PRONG and WINDS OF PLAGUE. He said: "Art brings just such a great energy to — well, first and foremost to the music, but also just kind of the dynamic of the group. He's about 15 years younger than us, so that's kind of got its own energy. His drumming ability is pretty much limitless — he can play whatever you ask him to; he can play whatever he wants — and that's pretty exciting, to be able to have that tool available to us.

"Art was certainly a professional drummer when he came into the fold, but some of the things we're doing at the level we're doing them at, he's never really been necessarily in those positions before," he added. "So to see his enthusiasm for it, his excitement, his curiosity — his eyes and ears are open, and he's killing it. It brings me a lot of joy. I love Art, man — I love the dude — and I'm really proud to have him in our band."

"Lamb Of God" was recorded with longtime producer Josh Wilbur (KORN, MEGADETH, GOJIRA, TRIVIUM) and includes special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

LAMB OF GOD's previously announced spring 2020 European tour with KREATOR and POWER TRIP has been postponed in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. LAMB OF GOD still hopes to launch a North American tour with MEGADETH, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES on June 12 in Bristow, Virginia, pending the containment of the disease. Dates are scheduled through November 13 in Reno, Nevada.