As Into Oblivion explores a world in flux, Lamb of God turn inward with “Blunt Force Blues”, reaching back to their Richmond origins and the local music community that shaped them. The track serves as the final preview of the band’s forthcoming album, which arrives on March 13 via Epic Records.
Randy Blythe reflects on Lamb of God’s formative years on the new single: “We learned how to play by watching and hanging out with other local dudes. That’s what we aspired to do – keep up with good local bands. They were just as much of an influence on us as any of the bigger bands from different cities.”
For Mark Morton, the song speaks to the perspective they’ve gained over the course of the band’s 25+ year career: “For me, the album is about having the space to breathe creatively and not feeling like we have to keep up with any trend or expectation. It feels nice to be untethered from any agenda beyond rallying around the notion of, ‘Let’s just make music that we think is cool,’ which is really where it all started.”
Earlier this week, the band announced a nationwide series of listening parties, with more than 140 independent record stores celebrating Into Oblivion’s release weekend (March 13 – 15). Exclusive merch, including free Lamb of God swag (while supplies last), prizes, and an indie-exclusive, limited edition Poltergeist vinyl variant of the new album will be available. A full list of participating stores can be viewed via Lamb of God’s social channels.
Produced and mixed by longtime studio collaborator Josh Wilbur, Into Oblivion was recorded across multiple locations tied closely to the band’s identity. Drums were tracked in Richmond, Va., with guitars and bass recorded at Morton’s home studio. Blythe recorded his vocals at the legendary Total Access studio in Redondo Beach, Calif., the birthplace of seminal punk records by Black Flag, Hüsker Dü, and Descendents.
