Randy Blythe, the intense frontman of Lamb of God, sat down with Kyle Meredith to chat about the band’s 20th-anniversary tour for their landmark Ashes of the Wake album. With Mastodon joining them for the ride, this tour is more than just a nostalgia trip—it’s a celebration of a musical brotherhood. Both bands dropped career-defining records on the same day in 2004, and this tour, planned for years, is a realization of that shared history.
Blythe, who’s never been one to hold back, dove into the gritty origins of Lamb of God, reminiscing about the early days of sleeping on studio floors, scrounging for beer money, and doing whatever it took to get by. But even as Lamb of God climbed the metal ranks, those early struggles never really faded away. Blythe has always been a history buff, grounding himself by exploring local lore wherever his tours take him. It’s no surprise that his passion for digging up the past influences how he sees the world, both on and off the stage.
Anniversary tours, Blythe notes, have become a massive draw for bands, especially in metal. Reflecting on the genre, he points out that metal itself is still relatively young compared to rock legends like the Rolling Stones. The metal greats—Black Sabbath, Slayer, Metallica—are still around, still redefining the boundaries of music. For Lamb of God, this 20th-anniversary tour isn’t just a business move, it’s a chance to reconnect with long-time fans while giving newer generations a glimpse into the fire that’s fueled them for decades.
Blythe, who is as thoughtful as he is aggressive on stage, talks about how Lamb of God has grown more disciplined in the studio. As a band, they’ve learned to trim the fat, cutting down tracklists and refining their sound. Even so, Blythe admits he hasn’t bothered listening to the early demos included in the anniversary edition of Ashes of the Wake. “I’ve listened to the remixes, but not the demos,” he laughs. Still, the remixes bring him joy, especially getting legendary Godflesh frontman Justin Broadrick to remix a track—something that Blythe counts as a personal win.
What stands out about Blythe is his commitment to the live performance. Whether it’s the connection he feels with fans or the way music physically moves people, live shows offer a form of communication that can’t be replicated. And in an era where cell phones are omnipresent, Blythe isn’t afraid to call out the disconnect they create. He longs for the days when fans were fully present, a time before the sea of glowing screens.
But it’s not all about the music for Blythe. He’s also involved in environmental restoration efforts in Ecuador and has a private reforestation project underway. He’s also an accomplished photographer and author, with a new book slated for release next year. Through it all, Blythe’s commitment to the human experience remains at the core of everything he does, whether it’s screaming into a microphone or working to restore forests in South America.
Watch the interview above and then check out the video below.
