After having to cancel its planned North American tour with Dethklok after singer Randall Blythe’s manslaughter arrest in Czechoslovakia, Lamb Of God is, not surprisingly, chomping at the bit to finally hit the ground at home starting Oct. 30 in Phoenix.
“Oh, absolutely. We haven’t had a chance to properly tour the States on [new album] ‘Resolution’ yet,” bassist John Campbell tells Billboard. “We did a week of shows in January, the week before the record came out, but that’s been it so, yeah, we are chomping at the proverbial bit to get out there and properly support resolution.” Campbell promises that the Virginia quintet is “stepping up the production a little bit” but demures on the details, except to say that Doug Spangenberg, who’s worked with Lamb of God on its DVDs, will “mix in some video elements while we play the show,” including produced images and live footage.
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But, Campbell acknowledges, Blythe’s legal situation continues to weigh on Lamb of God. The singer was arrested and, for a time, incarcerated on manslaughter charges for allegedly pushing a 19-year-old fan named Daniel Nosek off the stage during a 2010 club show in Prague, causing the man’s death. Blythe was arrested on June 27, when Lamb of God returned to play Prague, and was later freed on bail. Blythe has denied his actions were intentional and has promised to return for the trial.
“I’d be lying if I didn’t say what looms ahead is still very much on everyone’s minds,” Campbell says. “You find out that a fan has died, and as you’re still reeling from the shock of that you’re having to defend yourself from charges you’re responsible for the death of this kid. It’s definitely a very difficult thing to deal with, and by no means is it a resolved situation.”
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In the meantime, Lamb of God is going about the business of making music. Campbell says the group has spoken about its next album “only briefly, and just us talking in general, nothing serious at this point.” Meanwhile, guitarist Mark Morton has been writing score music for “As The Palaces Burn,” a documentary about Lamb of God fans being produced by 9.14 Pictures (“Rock School,” “The Art of the Steal,” “Last Days Here”). “These guys followed us touring in places like India and Israel,” Campbell says. “They came to South America, all kinds of places. The situation in Prague definitely kind of changed the angle of the movie, but they’re still working on it.”