Lamb of God guitarist Mark Morton says he still doesn’t understand why no one has copied the band’s sound. He spoke about this in an interview with Heavy Interviews. He recently said it was strange that no newer bands have “flat-out ripped” off Lamb of God’s overall sound and songwriting approach, and he explained what he meant.
Morton said he has no clear answer for why that hasn’t happened.
“Yeah, I don’t know,” Morton said. “It’d be interesting to know. I wish I had a clever answer for you. I don’t really know. I stand by that. I feel like it’s surprising.”
He then compared Lamb of God’s situation to that of other bands.
“You see bands like Killswitch [Engage], who had such success, and then you saw 20 bands come out that sounded like Killswitch,” he continued. “And I don’t see that with us. Even Gojira, who are so great, and you hear Gojira references in all kinds of new bands.”
Morton said his comment wasn’t meant as criticism.
“And that’s not a dig; it’s not a criticism,” he added. “If anything, I find it curious that I don’t hear at least a successful rendition of the Lamb Of God kind of character in newer bands. But I know that we have influenced a lot of younger bands, ’cause they tell me that. I hear bits and pieces.”
Morton’s comments came as he clarified his earlier remark about Lamb of God’s influence on newer bands. His remarks also come at a busy time for the Richmond, Virginia group.
Lamb of God released their tenth studio album, Into Oblivion, in March 2026. The band set aside outside expectations and any need to prove themselves while making it. They also experimented with musical ideas that were not typical of their earlier work.
That approach fits Morton’s view of the current metal scene. He has said the band does not feel compelled to chase trends or imitate newer acts such as Knocked Loose or Spiritbox. Lamb of God have kept their own identity instead.
Morton made clear that he does not see the lack of direct copycats as a bad sign. He said no bands have emerged as a “straight-up Lamb of God rip-off,” even though younger musicians regularly tell him the group shaped their playing.
The band is also looking ahead to the road. Lamb of God have announced European headlining shows for 2027, including a return to Budapest on January 31, where they will play material from Into Oblivion.
