Some bands mark anniversaries with a reissue, some with a nostalgic Instagram post, and some, like Lamb of God, by dragging an entire generation of metalheads back to the pit. As Ashes of the Wake turns 20 (because we’re all ancient now), the Richmond metal legends are hitting the road with longtime friends Mastodon—who, conveniently, also dropped a milestone album the same day back in 2004.
I caught up with frontman Randy Blythe, who, between reminiscing about recycling beer cans for ramen money, dodging pyro in the Texas heat, and plotting revenge against the sea of phone screens at his shows, made one thing clear: this is how you do an anniversary tour.
The 20-Year Overnight Success
“We didn’t just hatch from rockstar eggs,” Blythe laughs, acknowledging the illusion that albums just appear fully formed for fans. “When we did Ashes, we were in a van that broke down on the way to the studio. Braun [Dailor] from Mastodon was literally living on a couch in the studio. We slept on the floor. We recycled beer cans to buy ramen. Like, it wasn’t a ‘big break’ moment—it was a long, slow grind.”
That’s why this tour, co-headlining with Mastodon, isn’t just a gimmick. “We’ve talked about this for years,” he says. “These albums dropped on the same day, they’re almost the same length, and we’ve been friends forever. This just makes sense.”
On Remixes, Reissues, and Why He Didn’t Listen to the Demos
For the Ashes of the Wake anniversary edition, the band included demos, remixes, and a re-recording of Another Nail in Your Coffin featuring members of Malevolence and Kublai Khan. But don’t expect Blythe to get sentimental over those early demos.
“I haven’t listened to them,” he admits. “I know what’s on them—me fumbling my way through learning how to record. I don’t need to relive that.”
The remixes, though? That’s a different story. The band handed tracks over to Godflesh’s Justin Broadrick and HEALTH, letting them go full mad scientist. “I wanted their remixes, not the ‘Randy Blythe remix,’ because that would suck,” he deadpans.
Lamb of God also took a chance by reworking a deep cut instead of a big single, which plays into Blythe’s love of underappreciated songs. “I’ve always been into the weird little bastards of albums—the sophomore records, the B-sides,” he says. “But as we got older, we learned how to trim the fat. Bands used to throw 15-16 tracks on an album. Now, we’re like, ‘Nah, 10-11, and cut the ego.’”
Why You Should Put Your Phone Down Before Randy Calls You Out
One of the biggest shifts in live music over the years? A forest of phone screens blocking the view. Blythe is over it.
“I will bring a stool on stage one night, sit there, and just film them,” he threatens. “Just point my phone at the crowd the whole song and say, ‘Did you enjoy that? No? Neither did I. Now put your damn phone down.’”
That’s not to say he’s against filming outright. “Prince had it right,” he says, referencing the late legend’s policy of banning phones until the last song. “The crowd was totally there the whole time. Then, at the end, he said, ‘Okay, pull ‘em out, let’s go crazy.’ Perfect.”
On What’s Next—Besides Trying to Survive a Texas Tour in July
As for what’s coming next, Blythe isn’t making any grand promises—except to make it through the summer tour alive. “This is our third tour in a row where we’re starting in Texas in July. With pyro,” he groans. “We need to make better life choices.”
Beyond that? More music eventually, another book (Just Beyond the Light), and, hopefully, a world where fans actually watch the damn show. Until then, good luck keeping your phone in your pocket—because if you don’t, he’s watching you too.
Watch the interview above and then check out the video below.
