In a new interview with Riff X‘s “Metal XS”, Mark Morton, guitarist and songwriter for the five-time Grammy-nominated, platinum-selling band LAMB OF GOD, spoke about the blues-inspired musical direction of his latest solo album, “Without The Pain”. He said (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): “I have never completely defined myself as just a heavy metal guitar player. And when I say ‘just’, there are plenty of players that just play metal and they’re phenomenally explosive, incredibly dynamic and creative musicians. And that’s cool. And so I believe that’s possible. But for me, I’ve never felt like metal was the only place my creative spirit lives. So, I think I have, over time, built up this ambition and this kind of desire to express my musical spirit and my creative ideas outside of the context of LAMB OF GOD — not in spite of LAMB OF GOD, just in addition to. I love LAMB OF GOD, I love heavy metal. It’s been my life’s work, really, musically, until recently where I really kind of started exploring some of the stuff that was more reflective of what my personal listening tastes are. And that’s what you hear on this new record.”
Addressing the fact that the songwriting process in LAMB OF GOD at times requires him to make compromises while maintaining his vision of the band, Mark said: “I think what we have been able to develop in LAMB OF GOD is a real trust with one another creatively. So typically, and it’s not always the case, but typically if there’s some debate going on and somebody feels really, really strongly about it, where other people aren’t sure, that becomes pretty apparent. And if Willie [Adler, LAMB OF GOD guitarist] feels absolute about this musical thing that I’m not sure about, then I trust his artistry because I respect and admire him as a musician. And I think the same is true the other way. And the same with Randy [Blythe, LAMB OF GOD singer]. Him and I write lyrics together, and if he feels really, really strongly about a lyrical thing, then, yeah, you’re the one singing it. Run with it. Your question makes it sound like it’s this sort of liability that we have to give each other room. I think it’s a strength.”
“Without The Pain” marks a significant departure from Mark‘s work with LAMB OF GOD, diving into his southern roots and leaning heavily into the southern rock lane. The album features collaborations with artists like Cody Jinks, Jaren Johnston (THE CADILLAC THREE),Charlie Starr (BLACKBERRY SMOKE),TYLER BRYANT AND THE SHAKEDOWN, Travis Denning plus guitar solos from Grace Bowers, Jason Isbell, and more, making it a unique and exciting project that blends blues, southern rock, Americana and outlaw country influences with Mark‘s signature guitar work.
Last month, Mark was asked by United Rock Nations about his recent comment that he had been “waiting [his] whole life” to make “Without The Pain”. Asked why it took him so long to finally write and record the effort, Morton said: ”Well, I think it’s been a process for me to kind of get to the point where I’ve felt the confidence and the independence to make this kind of record. I made my first solo LP, ‘Anesthetic’, which came out in 2019, I think, and that was like my first published work outside of LAMB OF GOD as a solo artist. And while it was very different than LAMB OF GOD and that was the point, I think it was still kind of tied to metal roots and metal influences. And having had the experience of making that record and gaining the confidence in my ability and in learning that my audience was willing to go there with me, I think it gave me this sort of creative freedom to feel like I could lean into what is truly the music that I’m a fan of and the kind of music that I listen to, and have been a fan of, really, my whole life and that’s kind of, really, at the foundation of my playing as a guitar player. I’ve always felt like I’m a blues player first. That’s just the way I feel about it. So for me, it wasn’t really uncomfortable at all to pursue this kind of music. It was more [that] it felt like something I finally could do after waiting for a long time to get the opportunity.”
Asked if making a really personal album like “Without The Pain” is a form of therapy for him, Mark said: “I think some of it’s personal, some of it’s not at all. I think the songs are just the songs. I think sometimes there are songs that wind up being really personal. The last song on the record, ‘Home’, is extremely personal. There are components of ‘Brother’ that are lived experience and ‘Without The Pain’ has references to parts of my life. But then songs like ‘Hell & Back’ are really just a cool kind of story. And ‘Come December’ is not a personal experience; it’s a story. That one’s cool. ‘Nocturnal Sun’ is just very abstract. ‘Forever In The Light’ is pretty abstract as well. So I don’t think they’re all like directly autobiographical in a sense like that.”
Mark continued: “Songwriting is such a strange thing because sometimes there are lines in a song that are lived experience, and they may appear in a song that isn’t entirely autobiographical. So just because a part of a song is directly related to something from a songwriter’s life — there’s songs that are collaborative, so different people adding different things. And really it becomes more about the song than it does what maybe inspired one or another part of it. It’s a weird kind of thing. But in the end, it becomes this unique thing and when it works best is someone listens to it and they make it about their own story, and that’s when it works best. And how genuine or authentic it is to a direct lived experience is less important than it being a genuine and authentic representation of a feeling or an emotion.”
“Without The Pain” was released on April 11 via Snakefarm.
“Without The Pain” track listing:
01. Hell & Back feat. Jaren Johnston of THE CADILLAC THREE (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
02. Brother feat. Cody Jinks (Mark Morton, Cody Jinks, Travis Denning)
03. Without The Pain feat. Matt James of Blacktop Mojo (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Josh Wilbur)
04. Kite String feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning)
05. Come December feat. Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke & Jason Isbell (Mark Morton, Charlie Gray, Matt Connor)
06. Dust feat. Cody Jinks & Grace Bowers (Mark Morton, Jaren Johnston, Cody Jinks)
07. Forever In The Light feat. Tyler Bryant & The Shakedown (Mark Morton, Tyler Bryant, Caleb Crosby)
08. Nocturnal Sun feat. Troy Sanders & Jared James Nichols (Mark Morton, Josh Wilbur)
09. The Needle And The Spoon feat. Neil Fallon of Clutch (Allen Collins, Ronald W Vanzant)
10. Home feat. Travis Denning (Mark Morton, Travis Denning, Josh Wilbur)
Mark co-wrote every song on “Without The Pain” except for the track “The Needle And The Spoon”, which is a cover of the iconic LYNYRD SKYNYRD song. Throughout the album, Mark‘s songwriting explores themes of healing, growth, and self-reflection, with each track reflecting his journey of personal evolution. Drawing from his deep southern roots, Mark embraces the sounds of southern rock, blues, and outlaw country, while maintaining his signature edge — blending honest, raw lyricism with intricate guitar work. This album represents a true reinvention for Mark, as he embraces a more introspective and reflective phase in his career, marking his second solo release after his critically acclaimed debut.
The themes explored on “Without The Pain” are a natural progression from Mark‘s deeply personal autobiography, “Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir”. In the book, Mark delves into his struggles with addiction, mental health, and the toll of his heavy metal career, offering a raw, unfiltered look at his life and the journey toward finding peace and redemption. “Without The Pain” picks up where the memoir left off, providing a soundtrack to Mark‘s continuing journey of growth and reconciliation.
Source: blabbermouth.net
