Phoenix Rising: Lamb of God’s Mark Morton Reflects on 20 Years of ‘Ashes of the Wake’

As Lamb of God celebrates the 20th anniversary of their groundbreaking album Ashes of the Wake (out August 30th on Epic, pre-order here), fans are treated to an expanded deluxe edition that not only revisits the powerful tracks that defined a New Wave of American Heavy Metal generation but also introduces fresh elements that fan the flames of a classic record. The 20th-anniversary edition includes an energetic twist to ‘Another Nail For Your Coffin,’ remixes by HEALTH and Justin K Broadrick, and additional live performances that capture the band’s electrifying stage presence. In a thought-provoking conversation with Decibel, guitarist Mark Morton reflects on the journey of Ashes of the Wake, the collaborative process behind the rerelease, and the album’s enduring impact on the metal community. Join us as we delve into the past, present, and future of a reimagined Decibel Hall of Fame inductee with insights from one of its chief architects.

Decibel: Ashes of the Wake was already re-released with four non-LP tracks in 2019. This time, the pre-production demos remain, “Another Nail For Your Coffin” gets a remodel, along with a couple of remixes and two additional live performances. What inspired the update?

Mark Morton: Twenty years is definitely a point of reflection for any kind of anniversary. The re-release would have happened with or without the tour. But the fact that the Mastodon’s [Leviathan] came out on the same day as Ashes… and the Killswitch Engage record End of Heartache came out just a few months before those records got me thinking about the scene then. It was a vibrant and fertile period for contemporary heavy metal. It was really happening. It felt right to honor that.

How did you pick the bonus material, and is there anything that didn’t make the cut that Lamb of God fans can look forward to in the future?

[Laughing] There’s not much lying around, frankly. It’s funny because we were really shaking the trees to see what we had. We reached out to people who had worked on the project to see what was around. That informed the updated material, having the remixes done, and having the particularly cool guest appearances. My favorite thing, for sure, is having the younger guys jump on an old track like ‘Another Nail For Your Coffin’ and give it some fresh energy. I think it speaks to the influence that the band—and that record in particular—have had on younger generations of metal bands. It’s such a point of pride for all of us to know the fans who listened when we were just getting our feet under us have now gone on to start their own bands, are making their own noise, and doing their own thing. It’s a cool place to sit and reflect on all that.

Are there any new bands or artists who have talked with you about being directly influenced by Ashes of the Wake?

We’re on tour right now with a band from the UK called Malevolence. I sat and had coffee with a couple of those guys yesterday, and they were talking about seeing Lamb of God in Sheffield when they were 13-14 years old. Listening to them, I thought, “Man, this is so cool. I’m proud of those guys because they’re doing their own thing now.” It makes me feel good to have been a tiny drop in that ocean of inspiration they had to get going.

In your memoir Desolation, you wrote a few times about being a huge fan of bands like Metallica and Slayer, but you never dreamed you would wind up playing shows with them. But, after all the work the Lamb of God put in, you shared stages with them. You’re starting to see that play out again with the next generation from the other side of the table.

For sure. Those people are my heroes, and I still look up to them. I’ve also gotten to know some of them personally and learned they’re good guys and regular people—they just happen to be metal legends. [laughs]

Are there any particularly memorable or impactful stories from fans about how Ashes of the Wake has influenced their lives over the past 20 years?

For Ashes…, in particular, the timing of that record put it in position to reach a lot of the folks who were in the Middle East during the military conflict. We still hear from men and women who were there that they would listen to those records on their patrols or deployments. And then, in general, for the band, different people have different stories over the course of our discography. We hear a lot from fans saying explicitly, “Lamb of God saved my life,” or “This song saved my life.” That’s not particularly unique to us. Heavy metal has a real healing power. There’s a culture and lifestyle integrated with heavy metal as a genre, specifically, that reaches people on a spiritual soul level when and where they need it. In a broader sense, music has that power across the board, but heavy metal seems to chime that bell more explicitly than other genres. I hear a lot from people that our music is part of what helped them through a really difficult time or gave them the strength, inspiration, or ambition to succeed through something that seemed insurmountable. That kind of stuff is so much bigger than anything that I or we as a band can take credit for. But I’m certainly grateful to be a part of that system.

There’s something about the community aspect of metal that provides a group therapy setting that you don’t necessarily get from other genres where the pain can be more siloed or anonymous. Whether it’s present trauma or PTSD, the music and live shows, in particular, provide a place for people to access those feelings directly, connect with each other, and cultivate a place for expression and healing.

There’s a lifestyle component of this genre that fosters a sense of community. When you start talking about depression and suicidal ideation, those are very isolating places. Your world closes in, and you feel alone and detached. When you go to a metal show, it’s pretty hard to feel alone and detached because it’s such a bonded and integrated community. For all the cliches and presumptions about metal fans, historically, I find it’s quite the opposite. Certainly at Lamb of God shows—our fans are welcoming of all because the fact that you love metal usurps everything. Anything that someone else might be averse to or question you on—whether it’s your politics, your lifestyle, whatever—suddenly it’s, “Oh, you’re a metal fan? Okay, we’re cool.” It seems that’s how a lot of our audience is, and that’s a beautiful thing. It’s a unifying component. I look out at our crowds, and I just see joy. I see joy on their faces. I see joy in the way people are interacting with each other. I see parents and children. Fathers passing the music on to their teenage daughters; it’s a point of connection for them. I’m not exaggerating when I say that it makes me emotional when I see that. I’m a dad; I couldn’t be more thankful to be a part of that happening and be able to witness it. It’s so inspiring. It really hits me at a spiritual level.

That’s awesome. To tie off on the political stance of Ashes…, do you think the original messaging has evolved to meet the modern conflicts today?

I’ve never really looked at it through that lens. When Randy and I were lyrically hitting on those issues, they were directed at a particular time in the world and directly from a specific place in our own perspectives. I don’t see the world like I did 20 years ago. My ideological perspectives have changed in some ways. In some ways, they’re the same, but in some ways, they’ve changed. The lanes of those ideological perspectives have been changed in front of me. Meaning, in many ways, what was left is right, and what’s right is left, and that spins us all around. So I think, probably, there are themes that run through what we wrote about on Ashes of the Wake that still apply today, but they’re indirect. I don’t know where they line up on the spectrum because it was such a specific time in my life. It was such a particular time in the world. That time is what we were pointing to.

Back to the creative process itself, one of the things that struck me when reading your memoir was that your relationship with Epic appears to have been relatively smooth over the years. As the band, industry, and label personnel have evolved, can you talk about the creative partnership when revisiting a pivotal album like Ashes of the Wake, especially with personnel who may not have been present for the original album’s creation and release?

I’ve read all the horror stories about bands signing to a major who then likes to tinker with the band’s creative process, or try things like, “Here’s a song – cover this, and it’ll be we it’ll be a hit,” and all that stuff. I wrote about Kaz (Utsunomiya) in my book—the legendary A&R guy who signed us—along with Scott Greer, who were partners in bringing us into Epic. They told us when they approached us that they wanted to be a part of the scene and genre that was coming into its own at the time. They thought we were the best representation of it and wouldn’t dream of telling us how to be better than that. They wanted to be in business with us and give us the support and the platforms we needed to flourish. And that’s all they’ve ever done. That’s awesome. I’m really happy to report that—for us—everyone involved at the label has always kept their word to us. Honestly, I can’t say a bad thing about that relationship.

I would say there’s also some credit due to the band in that Lamb of God was so defined about where you wanted to take the music and what you were playing for. It probably made it very easy for the label to be hands-off creatively. If you’re a band whose sole focus is just to get big with no long-term plan or creative agenda other than what brought you to those conversations, that’s where many labels would likely step in to protect their investment.

For what it’s worth, it seemed to be working, and it still works. Those first few records charted high, so I think they were happy to let us do our thing. But it’s also more than just the success of the records. Just last time we were in the studio working on a record, Sylvia Rhone (Chair and CEO of Epic Records) came by and just hung out. So, it’s not like they just forgot about us, or it’s just some contractual thing playing out. They trust our judgment, and they do a great job with us. I think everyone’s happy.

The re-release features contributions from artists like Kublai Khan TX and Malevolence and remixes by HEALTH and Justin K Broadrick. How did these collaborations come about, and what was the most exciting part of working with both veteran artists and newer bands on one project?

The Kublai Khan and Malevolence thing came from just having an eye on up-and-coming bands we played shows with and felt like they would be fun to work with. We have a history with HEALTH (2022’s collaboration on ‘Cold Blood’). They’re super cool and had a hip take on ‘Laid to Rest.’ I’m not sure where the Broadrick thing came up, but being a fan of his work, I know Randy was thrilled about that.

What inspired the rework of ‘Another Nail in Your Coffin,’ and how did you approach collaborating with Kublai Khan TX and Malevolence?

[‘Another Nail For Your Coffin’] has always been a really cool song in the Lamb of God catalog, but it’s been overlooked since it was a bonus track. Randy isn’t really into re-recording our existing material. He feels old songs are a snapshot of where we were as a band at that time, for better or worse. But when the idea came up to have a guest vocalist re-do his parts, he was all for it, especially if we could get two younger heavy hitters to bring a fresh approach to the song. To me, it felt cool to have somebody younger and of the next generation—maybe a couple of generations—hop on and give it some youthful energy. It’s also interesting because the song stood up more than I expected.

Why more than you expected?

I don’t think I had low expectations; it just exceeded them. I listened to that song maybe twice in the last 15 years. But hearing it with those guys added into the mix felt really fresh. My first thought was, “Wow, this song doesn’t really feel dated at all!”

Were there any unexpected challenges or surprises during the remixing process for the 20th-anniversary edition that you hadn’t encountered when recording the original album?

No. I’d love to paint this picture of us all at the board debating EQ changes and stuff, but it was all done remotely, checking mixes, making notes, and that kind of thing. It was pretty standard operating procedure. There were no conflicts. We were just having fun and getting fresh takes on some things.

I’ve spent some time with the re-release, and it sounds noticeably better to my ears. For lack of a more technical description, even the 15-year reissue had more of that classic car stereo thrash sound. The 20th-anniversary re-release sounds as though the original has been unleashed in hi-fi. It took me aback how much broader and deeper it sounds.

I’ve said this publicly all along: I was dissatisfied with the guitar tones on Ashes of the Wake, even [before the 15-year reissue]. We went on to do another record with Machine [Producer, Gene ‘Machine’ Freeman], and I was much happier with the guitar sounds on Sacrament, so it’s not a knock against him. The way it went down at the time and the way I had to learn to find my own voice in the studio and in the mixing process – I was a little behind the curve there. [I] Don’t love the drum sounds, [I] don’t love the guitar sounds, or even the production in general. To me, it was very dated. It’s a tricky balance for a producer and a band to try and find that place that qualifies you both of the time but not so much in the sense that it will expire. Ashes… sounded very mid-2000s. So, freshening it up through a remix and remaster process can help in those cases.

Are there plans to approach the material differently or highlight deeper cuts from the record during the upcoming tour?

We’re touring the record and playing it front to back, so that’s different. It’s interesting because it takes some getting used to. When you sequence a record in the track list, you’re thinking about a record; you’re not thinking about a show. Some songs have aged very well, and some songs on this album I would never write today. But all of that goes to the side when you see how excited the fans are to see the album performed. We did a live stream during COVID times when no one was playing shows where we performed the whole Ashes… record. For several of the songs on the album, that was the first time we’d ever played them live, and now we’re doing a whole tour of it! It’s turning out to be really great and fun to do.

Do any of the songs jump out at you now more than they once did?

Yeah, the last song on the record, ‘Remorse is for the Dead,’…

I love that song.

Yeah, that one live is just an absolute flame thrower.

Will any of the record’s collaborators join you for the live performances?

No, we’re just keeping it to the same boring five of us. [Laughs]

Given the successful collaborations on the re-release, are there any artists or producers you’re eager to work with in the future for new Lamb of God projects?

I’m sure there are. These days, this collab thing has become all the rage, and it’s really interesting to hear different combinations of people pairing up and hopping on each other songs. So, it’s hard to imagine that that won’t happen. But I don’t have lists yet.

Having gone through this process of re-releasing Ashes of the Wake, do you have any plans or ideas for future projects that might involve revisiting other albums or unreleased material?

No, nothing that’s very forefront. I’m just excited about writing new stuff. That’s what’s most fun for me.

Reflecting on your musical journey since Ashes of the Wake, your memoir details how your approach to guitar playing and songwriting has evolved. Are there elements from that era that you still hold on to?

It comes and goes, and it evolves. It’s like looking in the mirror, really. You still recognize yourself, but if you look back 20 years, you think, “Holy shit, I look different!” The songwriting process is like that. It changes so slowly but so consistently that when I go back and think about writing that song, I think, “Oh, wow, that’s weird. I know the song, and I know I did it, but I don’t know if I would do it exactly the same now.” So that’s a windfall from going back and doing this thing in its entirety because it puts me more directly in touch with that version of myself as a songwriter 20 years ago and having the opportunity to ask why I did that. But it’s cool. And maybe even reawaken those approaches that have become closeted. The flip side of that is, “Yeesh! Why did I do that‽” [Laughs]

Given your journey, what advice would you give to young bands today trying to navigate the music industry and leave a lasting impact like Ashes of the Wake did?

I’ll give you two answers because many people won’t like the first one. The first answer is to quit the band and start managing the band. [Laughs] If you don’t like that advice, here’s your second option: don’t chase what’s popular today because you already aren’t that. Just be genuine and be authentic. It’s cool to be influenced by what’s happening and big right now. But, what’s cooler is just to be authentic and to refine—not perfect—but refine what is authentic to you as an artist and to get to a point where you trust your own artistry so that you don’t need to check in with others on whether it’s good or not because you know intuitively that it’s good in the context of what you heard. Play what you hear in your head, make sure it’s as good as you can play it—or as genuine as you can play it is even better—and then try to surround yourself with people who are doing the same thing. Lastly, to that, I’ll say I genuinely strive to be the least talented person in the room. And when I do that, I learn a lot, man. I learn a lot. db

Lamb of God is currently on tour, joining forces with Mastodon, who released their sophomore album, Leviathan, on the same date (Aug. 31) that Ashes of the Wake arrived in 2004. The tour, dubbed Ashes of Leviathan, also features openers Kerry King and Malevolence. Tickets for all shows are on sale now, with ticketing links available here.

Ashes of Leviathan Tour Dates:

July 19  Grand Prairie, TX  Texas Trust CU Theatre Grand Prairie
July 20  Del Valle, TX  Germania Insurance Amphitheater
July 21  Houston, TX  713 Music Hall
July 23  Jacksonville, FL  Daily’s Place
July 24  Orlando, FL  The Orlando Amphitheater
July 25  Alpharetta, GA  Ameris Bank Amphitheatre
July 27  Raleigh, NC  The Red Hat Amphitheater
July 28  Richmond, VA  Virginia Credit Union Live! at Richmond Raceway
July 30  Pittsburgh, PA  Stage AE
July 31  London, ON  Budweiser Gardens
August 1  Montreal, QC  Centre Ball
August 3  Uncasville, CT  Mohegan Sun Arena
August 4  Manchester, NH  SNHU Arena
August 6  Bangor, ME  Maine Savings Amphitheatre
August 8  Reading, PA  Santander Arena **
August 9  Cleveland, OH  Jacobs Pavilion at Nautica **
August 10  Sterling Heights, MI  Michigan Lottery Amphitheater at Freedom Hall **
August 13  Moorhead, MN  Bluestem Center for the Arts
August 15  Calgary, AB  Scotiabank Saddledome
August 16  Penticton, BC  South Okanagan Events Centre
August 17  Kent, WA  Accesso Showare Center
August 18  Portland, OR  Theater of the Clouds
August 21  Inglewood, CA  The KIA Forum
August 23  Phoenix, AZ  Arizona Financial Theatre
August 24  Rio Rancho, NM  Rio Rancho Events Center
August 25  El Paso, TX  El Paso County Coliseum
August 27  Magna, UT  The Great Saltair
August 29  Morrison, CO  Red Rocks Amphitheatre
August 31  Omaha, NE  The Astro Amphitheater
** – No Malevolence, Support from Kerry King & Unearth

Other Upcoming Lamb of God Dates:

September 1  Prior, OK  Rocklahoma
October 28 to November 1   Miami, FL  Headbangers Boat 2024