When Richmond, Virginia quintet Lamb of God began recording their last album Sacrament in 2006, there was friction within the ranks. Some of the members were dealing with personal issues that bled through into their band activity, and tensions were frequently high. "We weren't really firing on all cylinders," admits guitarist Mark Morton.

Fortunately, Lamb of God were still able to battle through their demons and frustrations and craft a fierce and surging slab of vindictive groove metal. In retrospect, it seemed like the animosity that was plaguing the band during the Sacrament sessions inspired ferocity and venom and the music offered release for their pain. With that in mind, Lamb of God had some concerns when they got back together in the studio to start writing their new album Wrath (out February 24). Having navigated their issues and obstacles, the members were getting along as well as ever, and while they were excited and generally happy, they were a little worried that their newfound contentment would dampen their fire. They couldn't have been more wrong. (click more to listen to our podcast interview with guitarist Mark Morton). Read more...

Look for Lamb of God's 2009 album, Wrath, to mark a return to the political firestorms of 2004's Ashes of the Wake. While the band strayed from such subject matter on 2006's deeply personal Sacrament, the worsening economic crisis, never-ending war in Iraq and continual controversies from the Bush administration are things the band can ignore no longer. Still, there will be differences between the tones of Ashes and Wrath.

"It's not as soapbox-y, and not as rant-y about the government — it's more about personal experiences," guitarist Mark Morton told Chris Harris of MTVnews.com. "We've met a lot of people and fans who've served in these wars that are going on around the world, so it's a little more personal, tying the worldview into how it affects individuals. And then there's stuff that has nothing to do with CNN at all. There are songs on this record that talk about our experiences, and are aimed at certain people we've met along the way, who, through jealousy or whatever, found some reason to betray us or turn their back on us or try to stab us in the back. As you have success, people kind of turn against you sometimes, so there are a couple of songs directed at those people. Hopefully, they'll know who they are." Read more...