LAMB OF GOD's WILLIE ADLER Explains Decision To Make New Album Self-Titled Affair

In an interview with the "Ghost Cult Podcast", LAMB OF GOD guitarist Willie Adler spoke about the band's decision to make its latest album a self-titled effort. He said: "It was a real intuitive process going into this record. Not that it was drastically different than any other record. Mark [Morton, guitar] and I felt everything starts with the riffs, so we write the same — we've been writing the same probably for years. But this time around, we did a few different writing sessions — just Mark and myself and Josh [Wilbur], our producer. And we would let months lapse in between those, so it kind of gave our ears a break from what we had done the last time and then we were able to come back. And it allowed for a much more writing session. So by the end of this year-and-a-half, two-year process, these weeklong writing sessions that we'd do, we kind of took a step back and looked at the whole collection of songs that we had. And I think it was Mark's idea first to kind of keep it self-titled. And it just fit. There's really not any words to describe it — it was just that feeling that this is the time, this is the record to do it, and these are the songs that represent us. Not only right now, but our whole career. These are the songs that we worked up until this point to write and put out."

"Lamb Of God" was released on June 19 via Epic Records in the U.S. and Nuclear Blast Records in Europe. The follow-up to 2015's "VII: Sturm Und Drang" marks the band's first recordings with Art Cruz, who joined LOG last year as the replacement for the group's founding drummer, Chris Adler.

"Lamb Of God" includes special guest appearances by Jamey Jasta (HATEBREED) and Chuck Billy (TESTAMENT).

Audiences got a taste of the first new LAMB OF GOD music in nearly five years with "Checkmate" back in February, followed by "Memento Mori" and "New Colossal Hate". Vocalist Randy Blythe sounds more driven and insightful than ever on "Lamb Of God", offering up the angriest and most comprehensive diatribes, addressing modern life in the current landscape, of his storied career thus far.

"Ashes Of The Wake" (2004) was the first LAMB OF GOD album to be certified gold by the RIAA, followed by "Sacrament" (2006),which debuted in Billboard's Top 10. "Sturm Und Drang" debuted at No. 3 in North America and in the Top 5 in several countries. The single "512" from "VII: Sturm Und Drang" received a Grammy nomination for the "Best Metal Performance," making it LAMB OF GOD's fifth Grammy nod.

LAMB OF GOD's North American tour with MEGADETH, TRIVIUM and IN FLAMES has been rescheduled for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic which is sweeping the globe.