LAMB OF GOD's RANDY BLYTHE 'Calls Bulls**t' On MAYHEM FESTIVAL Co-Founder's 'Gray, Bald And Fat' Comment

LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has slammed Kevin Lyman over comments the co-founder of the annual Rockstar Energy Drink Mayhem Festival made regarding the state of the heavy metal scene and the future of the traveling event.

In an article published on July 8 by Detroit Free Press, Lyman was quoted a saying about the difficulties of booking headline-worthy acts for the festival: "The bands at the top all demand a certain level of fee to be on tour. Unlike punk rock, metal never knows how to take a step back to move the whole scene forward. That's how punk rock was. That's how we nurtured punk rock. BAD RELIGION would take a little less than they could on their own to bring the whole scene forward, so we could make sure we had a good [touring] package around them. Metal doesn't seem to have that concern, never has, never has since I was working in the clubs in the '80s. It's always about a 'me, me, me' thing."

Lyman added that part of the problem is the fact that metal's audiences have dwindled as the established headlining acts got older. "What happened was metal chased girls away because what happened was metal aged," he said. "Metal got gray, bald and fat. And metal was about danger. When you went to a metal show, it was dudes onstage; there was some danger in it."

In a posting on his Instagram account, Blythe addressed Lyman's comments, writing: "Y'all know I don't talk about my band much here — it's not my thing. This account is for my photography and other creative endeavors — but I must take a moment to speak about something that irked me recently, as I felt it was a bit insulting to our fans and the metal scene that supports my band (especially the females).

"'What happened was metal chased girls away because what happened was metal aged. Metal got gray, bald and fat.' "This generalization was recently made by Mayhem Fest co-founder Kevin Lyman about our metal scene. I call bullshit.

"I wanted to wait until we were on tour to address this, soooooooo.... looking at the huge crowds we have played to on this four-band bill [also featuring SLIPKNOT, BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and MOTIONLESS IN WHITE] so far (all singing along to our metal songs and with plenty of girls in attendance),I gotta laugh. I ain't the youngest dude in the world, but from my vantage point, the metal scene appears to be doing just fine."

He continued: "I, a dude from the punk scene of the '80s (ahem... punk rock existed long before Warped tour, [by the way]. I know, because I was there) who somehow became the singer of a metal band, just became a nationally best-selling author, I've met plenty of younger fans who have bought my book, and many were female. LAMB OF GOD, a metal band, has a new album out — at this very second, we are in a very tight race with Jill Scott (an awesome R&B singer I am a fan of who has a huge audience) for the very top slot of the Billboard charts, and if enough folks buy the album before Thursday, we will have our first #1 record. Jill Scott has a much larger fan base than us, but metal fans actually buy records. Even if we get a #2 or #3 (again, by the way — not our first Top 10 debut),it will still be huge. There's tons of younger metal bands too. The metal scene is alive and healthy, and it will continue to grow and the younger bands will become headliners, if the fans support it. So far, that doesn't seem to be a problem."

Blythe added: "So, sorry, metal isn't watered-down pop bullshit for the teenybopper masses, but it is healthy. So thanks for coming out, buying our records, and singing along, y'all! Thanks for forming new bands and keeping it alive! We appreciate and love you! We ain't pretty, but we are definitely here, and I'm not bald or fat."

LAMB OF GOD's new album, "VII: Sturm Und Drang", was released on July 24 via Epic in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Entertainment in 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.