Mark Morton of Lamb of God reveals his memoir, “Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir”

Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton has announced his upcoming memoir, “Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir,” slated for release on June 25. Co-authored with Ben Opiari, the book will be published by the Hachette Book Group.

Morton shared his motivation behind writing the memoir, stating:

“Initially, I started writing this book just to see if I could do it. But as the writing process unfolded, it quickly took on much more meaning. Unpacking my story, I was able to observe events in my life with an objectivity that I hadn’t experienced while I’d lived them in real-time.”

“Through a lens of hindsight and recovery, I made friends with my past and found value in my most difficult days,” Morton continued. “I hope that by offering my experiences, I can create a point of connection and commonality. There are a lot of fun stories in here and a few really sad ones. I’m grateful to have the opportunity to share them.”

“Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir” is currently available for pre-order. Here’s a glimpse of what readers can expect, according to the Hachette Book Group:

“A gritty, revealing heavy metal memoir by Lamb of God‘s guitarist and lyricist, which explores both his life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.

“For a band as extreme as Lamb of God, mainstream success and touring the world to massive audiences was an almost surreal achievement. But for guitarist and lyricist Mark Morton, the triumph was dulled by the pain of addiction and loss.

“In ‘Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir,’ Morton traces the highs and lows of his career and personal life, revealing how the pressures of success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with his dedication to the creative process. Morton writes about the greatest personal tragedy of his life: the death of his newborn daughter, which plunged Morton further into hopelessness. Surrounded by bandmates living their wildest dreams, Morton wanted nothing more than to disappear, ingesting potentially lethal cocktails of drugs and alcohol on a daily basis.

“And yet intertwined with self-destruction and harrowing heartbreak, there were moments of joy, self-acceptance, and incredible connection. Morton developed close relationships with his bandmates and crew members, sharing experiences that have made for some strange and hilarious tales. He also gained a greater sense of purpose through interactions with his fans, who remind him that his work reaches people on a deeply personal level.

“‘Desolation’ is, at its core, about Morton’s journey as a musician navigating self-doubt, anxiety, and the progressive disease of addiction, and ultimately finding relative serenity and gratitude.”