LAMB OF GOD frontman Randy Blythe has made it clear that musicians—and citizens alike—have a responsibility to speak out on issues that matter. In a new interview with Sam Law of U.K.’s Kerrang! magazine, Blythe addressed critics who argue that entertainers should avoid politics.
“To those people, I say ‘Go f**k yourself.’ I’m an American citizen and a world traveler. More than that, I’m a human being,” he said. “I’m not some dancing monkey put here for your entertainment. If you have any sort of moral compass at all, it’s irresponsible to not exercise your right to speak up. If people are willing to compartmentalize something like a child sex trafficking ring because they think it might better their bank account, they’ve lost a component of their humanity. They’ve lost an integral part of what it is to be a righteous human being. At that point, it’s time to stop and reassess and reevaluate. You’re not going to be able to carry your money into the grave, motherf**ker, but you will be able to carry the memories of silently going along with people that enabled child sex predators. How are you going to feel about that on your death bed?”
Blythe also shared a more hopeful perspective on the future, while acknowledging the darker impulses that inform much of LAMB OF GOD’s music.
“There is an apocalyptic side to my nature. I will admit that, and plenty of our lyrics reflect it,” he said. “I have to watch myself with that. I have to acknowledge that that possibility exists. But I don’t need to sink into glorifying it. It’s okay to pay attention to what’s going on and be worried, but you need to do your best to change it. Everyday citizens in a functional democracy have a right to vote and they need to not become apathetic. I have a lot of problems with our American system. There are things that are archaic such as the electoral college, which should be abolished. But that is the only system we have right now. And if I do not engage in it and do my best to be a force for positive change, then I am abdicating responsibility and handing what little bit of control I have — my agency — over to someone else.”
He concluded by urging people to resist apathy and take action where they can, even in unfamiliar political systems: “In general, I see that fatalist, defeatist attitude in people and it bums me out. Like, ‘Oh, it doesn’t make a difference…’ Well, you’re right, because if you don’t do anything, then that won’t make any difference at all,” Blythe explained. “So please carry yourself to the voting booth and do what you can. I don’t understand politics in the U.K., but I do know that you need to vote. Don’t just be an apathetic slug and complain when everything turns to s**t.”
LAMB OF GOD is set to release their twelfth studio album, Into Oblivion, on March 13. To celebrate, they’ve organized a nationwide series of listening parties spanning over 140 independent record stores during the album’s release weekend (March 13–15). Fans attending these events can expect exclusive merchandise, free LAMB OF GOD swag (while supplies last), prizes, and an indie-exclusive, limited edition Poltergeist vinyl variant of Into Oblivion.
Reeder, the visionary behind Metal Addicts, has transformed his lifelong passion for metal into a thriving online community for metal aficionados. As a fervent devotee of black metal, Reeder is captivated by its dark, atmospheric, and often unorthodox soundscapes.