Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir

A gritty, revealing heavy metal memoir by Lamb of God's guitarist and lyricist, Mark Morton, 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 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 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.


About the Author
Mark Morton is best known as the guitarist and lyricist of the Grammy-nominated heavy metal band, Lamb of God. He lives with his family near Richmond, Virginia.

Ben Opipari is the founder of Persuasive Matters, delivering writing programs to law firms and Fortune 500 companies worldwide. He also runs the podcast Songwriters on Process, where he takes a deep dive into the writing process. Ben lives with his family in North Bethesda, Maryland.