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Into Oblivion Down Under: MARK MORTON From LAMB OF GOD Warns Australia To Be Ready · HEAVY Music Interviews

• 0:00
  Speaker 1: I'm Mark Morton. I play guitar for the band Lamb
• 0:02
  Speaker 1: of God. And we are starting an Australian tour with
• 0:06
  Speaker 1: Trivium and Bleed From Within. And happy to be here.
• 0:09
  Speaker 2: Fantastic. Mark, thanks for joining us today, brother.
• 0:12
  Speaker 1: Yeah, man. Thanks for having me. No, right.
• 0:14
  Speaker 2: So as you say, Lamb of.
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  Speaker 3: God are officially in Australia, Perth to be precise, and
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  Speaker 3: ready to kick off your co-headlining Australian Tour of the
• 0:21
  Speaker 3: Trivium tonight before heading to Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney and
• 0:24
  Speaker 3: finishing in Brisbane, Vegas on October the 11th.
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  Speaker 2: But it's time to get your game face on, bro.
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  Speaker 2: Shit's getting real.
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  Speaker 1: Well, you know, I'm a seasoned vet, Chris. This is
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  Speaker 1: just what we do, man.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, I bet. But it is a long flight to
• 0:39
  Speaker 2: get here, man.
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  Speaker 3: Like, is it sometimes difficult to get yourself up for
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  Speaker 3: that first show after that flight or does it adrenaline
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  Speaker 3: kick in and it's all good to go?
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  Speaker 1: Oh, I think once you hit the stage, you forget
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  Speaker 1: all about the jet lag and all that kind of stuff.
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  Speaker 1: But yeah, the hours and day or so proceeding, it's
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  Speaker 1: a bit tough, but just part of the gig, man. Yeah, true.
• 1:06
  Speaker 3: It's a nice spread out tour over 10 days too, mate.
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  Speaker 3: So have you made plans to do anything special during
• 1:11
  Speaker 3: your down time?
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  Speaker 1: Well, we kind of fly every day. So there's really
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  Speaker 1: only one day that isn't travel. And I've got nothing
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  Speaker 1: super touristy. I've got a friend in town that I'll
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  Speaker 1: visit with and just kind of enjoy a day of
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  Speaker 1: not working.
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  Speaker 2: True that.
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  Speaker 3: Lamb of God has always had a great history with Australia, mate,
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  Speaker 3: like from the legendary Soundwave sets to massive arena tours.
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  Speaker 3: But how do Australian heavy metal crowds compare to audiences
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  Speaker 3: in North America or Europe, especially when it comes to
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  Speaker 3: the intensity at Mosh Pits?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I find it very similar. And that's in the
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  Speaker 1: best way. You know, I think Australian fans are, they
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  Speaker 1: love metal and they've always been so supportive of Lamb
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  Speaker 1: of God. And we really do feel very much at
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  Speaker 1: home here. So it's, you know, it feels like, it
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  Speaker 1: feels like Dallas or like Atlanta or, you know what
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  Speaker 1: I mean? Somewhere where we play all the time. It feels,
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  Speaker 1: it feels very, very welcoming and very, very comfortable, very familiar.
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  Speaker 2: Yes. I was lucky enough to be at Wacken this year, mate,
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  Speaker 2: for your set there.
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  Speaker 3: And initially I thought the afternoon was a bit of
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  Speaker 3: a strange time for you guys to be on. But
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  Speaker 3: after seeing the dust just rise and settle over the
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  Speaker 3: whole crowd, like in the mosh pit, you guys playing,
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  Speaker 3: it was like, it was something special, you know, I
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  Speaker 3: wouldn't have done that justice.
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  Speaker 2: It must have been pretty ferocious looking off stage.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, that was a great show. You know, going on
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  Speaker 1: so early is really just a sort of a, Germany
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  Speaker 1: has just been a hard nut for us to crack
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  Speaker 1: a little bit. Other parts of Europe, we, you know,
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  Speaker 1: a festival up in Sweden or Finland, we'd be on
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  Speaker 1: much later, you know, but Germany has just been a
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  Speaker 1: little over the years, just been a little bit, maybe
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  Speaker 1: a little less, um, less aligned with land of God
• 3:00
  Speaker 1: for whatever reason, different territories work that way. Um, but it's, I,
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  Speaker 1: it was, uh, it was a great show. And I
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  Speaker 1: think we gained a little ground in Germany with that show.
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  Speaker 1: Cause it was, it was pretty ferocious.
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  Speaker 3: Mate, I pretty much saw, like, because I was walking
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  Speaker 3: across the drawbridge there, so I saw the elevated view,
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  Speaker 3: and I saw pretty much every mosh pit over that
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  Speaker 3: whole fucking weekend, and you guys destroyed it compared to.
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  Speaker 2: Everyone else, mate. Like, if they don't know who you
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  Speaker 2: are and respect you in Germany by now, mate, they
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  Speaker 2: never fucking will, because it was great.
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  Speaker 1: Agreed agreed agreed so.
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  Speaker 3: This was a massive co-headline and run with trivium lamb
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  Speaker 3: of god as well so and you guys have both
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  Speaker 3: been pillars of modern metal for over two decades right
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  Speaker 3: so how do you see the musical style of both
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  Speaker 3: bands complementing each other on the same stage every night
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  Speaker 3: and you've got any plans for any collaborations during the night.
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  Speaker 1: Uh no no no collabs that i know of maybe
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  Speaker 1: something you never know so what could happen organically um Yeah,
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  Speaker 1: I think the bands are very different. Um, so I
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  Speaker 1: think that, that, um, provides a really good sort of, uh,
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  Speaker 1: diverse bill. I think, um, you know, obviously both metal
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  Speaker 1: bands and obviously both been, um, in the scene or around, um,
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  Speaker 1: for a long time, but I think what we, what we,
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  Speaker 1: what we do musically, um, and I think the shows
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  Speaker 1: we put on are, are, are notably different. And so
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  Speaker 1: I think it'll be a, it'll provide a good, um,
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  Speaker 1: you know, an entertaining show and some certainly something that
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  Speaker 1: won't feel, um, feel very linear for the fans.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah and it's been billed as a co-headline in short
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  Speaker 3: too right so does that mean you're going to alternate
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  Speaker 3: closing every night or you're just playing the same same
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  Speaker 3: size sets.
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  Speaker 1: It means we'll play the same amount of time but
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  Speaker 1: um lamb's going to close every night yeah nice.
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  Speaker 3: And then of course you got bleed from within a
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  Speaker 3: special guest too mate so it's a brutal three package
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  Speaker 3: mate what was it about bleed from within that that
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  Speaker 3: made them the perfect fit to come over Oh.
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  Speaker 1: I mean, I think both bands, I think Lamb and
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  Speaker 1: Tribune have both played a bunch of shows with those
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  Speaker 1: guys and they're super pro and just a great band. So,
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  Speaker 1: you know, we're all friendly and have worked together a
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  Speaker 1: bunch before. And they're just a great add to the
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  Speaker 1: bill and they fit right in. They kind of bridge
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  Speaker 1: the gap, I think, a little bit too, stylistically, which
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  Speaker 1: is good.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, nice. Yeah.
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  Speaker 3: You and Art Willy are one of the most celebrated
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  Speaker 3: guitar partnerships in Metal Mate. But you've noted before that
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  Speaker 3: writing together requires knowing when to step back and let
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  Speaker 3: the strongest opinion win. So how does that creative dynamic shift,
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  Speaker 3: like when you transfer the music from the studio onto
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  Speaker 3: a live stage?
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  Speaker 1: Well, I don't I'm not sure I understand the nature
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  Speaker 1: of the question.
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  Speaker 3: Is it sort of like taking over like on stage?
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  Speaker 3: Like how do you work out what parts I guess
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  Speaker 3: you do?
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  Speaker 2: Is it natural?
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, it's, it's, it's very natural. And usually, um, yeah,
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  Speaker 1: it's very natural usually. So those things typically get worked
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  Speaker 1: out when we're recording or when we're writing, we kind
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  Speaker 1: of know who's doing which bit. Um, and there are
• 5:59
  Speaker 1: times when that's not worked out and we can, it's
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  Speaker 1: just a quick discussion, but honestly it's less of a
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  Speaker 1: discussion because Willie and I worked so closely together for
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  Speaker 1: so long that it's, there's any question we kind of
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  Speaker 1: know who's going to do what, um, any of the,
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  Speaker 1: any of the, like the soloing or lead work is
• 6:13
  Speaker 1: almost always me. Um, and Willie very, I mean, we
• 6:17
  Speaker 1: both played rhythm 90% of the time anyway, but, um,
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  Speaker 1: most often if there's a deviation away from the rhythm,
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  Speaker 1: from the rhythm, it's me, um, handling that, but not always, but, um, yeah, it's, it's,
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  Speaker 1: it's pretty easy for us to, to, um, to delegate
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  Speaker 1: the work order.
• 6:35
  Speaker 3: But when it comes to band rehearsals and stuff, do
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  Speaker 3: you guys go off by yourselves occasionally? Or do you
• 6:39
  Speaker 3: just rehearse by yourselves to get that chemistry? Or is
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  Speaker 3: it just a natural thing?
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  Speaker 1: Well, we rehearse by ourselves first, and then we rehearse together. So, yeah,
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  Speaker 1: we get together to do proper rehearsals as a band
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  Speaker 1: before the tour.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, nice.
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  Speaker 3: Your latest album, Into Oblivion, dropped earlier this year, right?
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  Speaker 3: So how was it received by the fans?
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  Speaker 1: Great. Great. It was great. Very well received, and I
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  Speaker 1: think for whatever reason, the vibe seemed to be that
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  Speaker 1: it felt throwback to some people, which I found interesting.
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  Speaker 1: I'm not sure I saw it that way, but I
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  Speaker 1: think it was a very energized songwriting process, and we
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  Speaker 1: had a lot of fun making the record, so maybe
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  Speaker 1: some of that energy just comes through sonically. But yeah,
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  Speaker 1: it was very well received.
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  Speaker 3: Yeah. Were there any songs off that, that went over,
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  Speaker 3: like maybe went over better live than you thought they
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  Speaker 3: would have, or any that you thought would have gone
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  Speaker 3: really well and they sort of fell a bit flat?
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  Speaker 1: Um, well, Blunt Force Blues has gone over really, really
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  Speaker 1: well live and kind of very organically. Um, that wasn't
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  Speaker 1: a song we necessarily postured as one of the first
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  Speaker 1: releases or, I mean, I guess, I guess it was
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  Speaker 1: in a sense, but it wasn't one of the first couple, but, um,
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  Speaker 1: it really, really has, um, gotten a lot of positive
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  Speaker 1: feedback from streaming just the numbers and just kind of
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  Speaker 1: the fan response um and playing that live goes really
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  Speaker 1: well also yeah nice.
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  Speaker 3: You recently mentioned an interview mate that you're surprised no
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  Speaker 3: bands have ever successfully like ripped off or or copied
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  Speaker 3: the distinct lamb of god sound mate but like when
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  Speaker 3: you're playing the new tracks live and things like that
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  Speaker 3: like what do you think is that great ingredient that
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  Speaker 3: you guys have got that makes it impossible to be
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  Speaker 3: another lamb of god because it's definitely there Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: I don't, I don't know. I, I, I, it'd be
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  Speaker 1: interesting to know. Um, I don't, uh, I, I, I
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  Speaker 1: wish I had a clever answer for you. I don't
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  Speaker 1: really know. I stand by that. I feel like it's surprising.
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  Speaker 1: Like you see bands like, like kill switch who were so,
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  Speaker 1: you know, had such success. And then you saw, you know,
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  Speaker 1: 20 bands come out that sounded like, you know what
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  Speaker 1: I mean? Um, and, uh, I don't see that with us.
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  Speaker 2: No, you're right. There isn't.
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  Speaker 3: And when I was writing the question, I was trying
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  Speaker 3: to think myself what it could be, but it's just,
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  Speaker 3: there's just something unique.
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  Speaker 1: Even Gojira, like Gojira, who are so great, you know
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  Speaker 1: what I mean? And, you know, you hear Gojira references
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  Speaker 1: in all kinds of new bands. And I don't, that's
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  Speaker 1: not a dig. It's not a criticism. If anything, like,
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  Speaker 1: I find it curious that I don't hear um, uh,
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  Speaker 1: at least a successful rendition of the lamb of God
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  Speaker 1: kind of character, um, uh, in, in newer bands. Uh,
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  Speaker 1: but I know that we have influenced a lot of
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  Speaker 1: like younger bands cause they tell me that, you know
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  Speaker 1: what I mean?
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  Speaker 2: Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: Your bits and pieces. But I just, I think in
• 9:49
  Speaker 1: that interview that people like to talk about so much now,
• 9:51
  Speaker 1: which is fine. I'm happy to talk about it. But, um,
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  Speaker 1: I think what, what I was trying to say is
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  Speaker 1: we had no, no bands that came out that were
• 9:57
  Speaker 1: just like ripped straight up lamb of God rip off. And, um,
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  Speaker 1: curious i'm not um it's just a an observation i'm
• 10:05
  Speaker 1: not um i'm certainly not let down by that or
• 10:09
  Speaker 1: nor you know or hoping that someone will is just
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  Speaker 1: kind of an observation i've.
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  Speaker 3: Made There's another quote from you in the press release
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  Speaker 3: that really stood out to me. And it said, when
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  Speaker 3: you talk about the album, it's like, for me, the
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  Speaker 3: whole thing is just about having the space to breathe
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  Speaker 3: creatively and not feeling like we have to keep up
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  Speaker 3: with any trend or expectation.
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  Speaker 2: Can you elaborate on that a little bit for us?
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  Speaker 1: On which bit?
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  Speaker 2: Just the whole thing.
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  Speaker 3: Not having the expectation or not keeping up with trends,
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  Speaker 3: I guess, because trends do come and go and so
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  Speaker 3: many bands try and at least incorporate some of that
• 10:43
  Speaker 3: into what they do. But you guys have always.
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  Speaker 2: Maintained what you want to do and fuck everyone else.
• 10:48
  Speaker 2: How hard is that in the modern music industry?
• 10:52
  Speaker 1: Yeah, I don't know. I think it's more natural than
• 10:54
  Speaker 1: it is, you know, something that we sort of have
• 11:00
  Speaker 1: to make an effort to avoid it's just you know
• 11:02
  Speaker 1: just kind of again that was an interview i did
• 11:04
  Speaker 1: and it was an answer i gave sort of unrehearsed
• 11:06
  Speaker 1: and off the cuff but i was just thinking like
• 11:07
  Speaker 1: you know i'd as much as i think these bands
• 11:11
  Speaker 1: are great and it's exciting to see young bands um
• 11:18
  Speaker 1: moving the genre forward um i don't feel compelled to
• 11:25
  Speaker 1: try and um, emulate what knock loose is doing or
• 11:29
  Speaker 1: what spirit is doing. Um, phenomenal bands, you know? Um, but,
• 11:36
  Speaker 1: but I just, you know, I think there have at
• 11:39
  Speaker 1: times and from different corners of the industry been suggestions
• 11:44
  Speaker 1: that like to keep up with, you know, to, to, to,
• 11:49
  Speaker 1: to stay symmetrical with what's streaming or what's, you know,
• 11:54
  Speaker 1: doing performing well or whatever. this is the sound or
• 11:57
  Speaker 1: this is the, the format, or this is the, that,
• 12:00
  Speaker 1: or the other thing. And it's just like, no, like I'm,
• 12:03
  Speaker 1: you know, bro, I'm 53 years old. Like we've been
• 12:07
  Speaker 1: doing this for, you know, almost 30 years. Like, so it's,
• 12:11
  Speaker 1: it's not a matter of thumbing my nose. I, I'm
• 12:14
  Speaker 1: a fan of what those bands are doing. I think
• 12:16
  Speaker 1: it's phenomenal. I enjoy watching. a new generation of bands
• 12:20
  Speaker 1: take this thing that we kind of helped carry the
• 12:23
  Speaker 1: stick for, for a little while and take it somewhere
• 12:25
  Speaker 1: else and make it their own. And that's really exciting to, to,
• 12:30
  Speaker 1: to observe as a fan of music and as a
• 12:33
  Speaker 1: member of this heavy metal community, you know what I mean?
• 12:36
  Speaker 1: But to try and emulate that or to try and
• 12:39
  Speaker 1: incorporate that into what we do wouldn't feel natural to
• 12:42
  Speaker 1: me or to, or to our band. So that's, that's
• 12:45
  Speaker 1: really what that, what that comment was about.
• 12:48
  Speaker 2: Yeah, nice.
• 12:49
  Speaker 3: Now, on a bit of a personal note, mate, like,
• 12:51
  Speaker 3: fans were really excited about your sold-out Gibson Les Paul
• 12:55
  Speaker 3: Modern Quilt Artist Series signature guitar when.
• 12:58
  Speaker 2: It came out. Like, will Australian fans get to see
• 13:00
  Speaker 2: that live on stage? Will you be playing it?
• 13:03
  Speaker 1: Oh, of course.
• 13:04
  Speaker 2: Yeah?
• 13:05
  Speaker 1: Yeah, of course. It's my signature model guitar. I definitely will.
• 13:07
  Speaker 3: What makes it, like, it's hard for you to say
• 13:09
  Speaker 3: because it is yours, but what makes it so special?
• 13:13
  Speaker 1: Well, I mean, you'd have to play one, I guess.
• 13:16
  Speaker 1: I mean, I don't know if you're a guitar player,
• 13:17
  Speaker 1: but if you got one, well, then, you know. I'll
• 13:21
  Speaker 1: never know.
• 13:21
  Speaker 2: I'll never know. Yeah.
• 13:23
  Speaker 1: We don't speak that same language there.
• 13:25
  Speaker 2: You know. Very nice. Well, thanks very much for your time, bro.
• 13:30
  Speaker 3: Lamb of God, Chalk with Trivium and Bleed from Within
• 13:32
  Speaker 3: kicks off in Perth tonight.
• 13:34
  Speaker 2: Moves around the country from there.
• 13:35
  Speaker 3: I know ticket sales are flying out the door, so
• 13:38
  Speaker 3: it wouldn't leave it till the last minute on the door.
• 13:39
  Speaker 2: Get on to Destroy All Lines now and grab them
• 13:41
  Speaker 2: and see you in Brisbane, brother.
• 13:43
  Speaker 1: Yes, sir. Thanks for your time, man. Appreciate you.