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Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir
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 A Heavy Metal Memoir , Morton traces the highs and the 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 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.
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 A Heavy Metal Memoir , Morton traces the highs and the 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 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.
310 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 25, 2024
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9 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
July 13, 2024
Mark Morton has written a hell of a book and his story is one hell of a ride. I love his playing, his band, Lamb of God, and now I have as much admiration for the man. This is a well written rock memoir about the brutal world of addiction and its grasp. It is also a great read about the music and the musician that Mark is. Being a guitar player, I can relate to so much of what he wrote about music and guitar-wise. Whether you're a fan or not it is well worth the time to read this book. Highly recommend.
July 30, 2024
great book
This book was fantastic. I loved reading mark’s story I really hope he stays on the straight and right path for the rest of his life.
This book was fantastic. I loved reading mark’s story I really hope he stays on the straight and right path for the rest of his life.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews