Desolation - by Mark Morton (Hardcover)

About the Book

"For a band as extreme as Lamb of God, achieving mainstream success and touring the world to massive audiences was an almost surreal accomplishment. 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 private 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 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 hearbreak were moments of joy, self-acceptance, and incredible connection. Morton developed close relationships with his bandmates and crew members, sharing experiences that make 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."--from dust jacket.

Book Synopsis

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.

Review Quotes

"Written in engaging prose that immediately connects the reader with Morton's passions and struggles, Desolation is a rarity of rock memoir, one that will appeal to fans of his musical work but also to those who appreciate riveting tales of human experience, sorrow, love, and ultimate redemption."--Under the Radar

"A highly readable and often touching memoir."--Library Journal

"As a Virginia native and as a music lover and as a former knockabout kid who loved to sneak out and head to Richmond, I found this searing, emotional, furiously raw and real memoir to be a REVELATION. Mark Morton peels back the layers of his soul and lays them bare. This is more than a memoir, it is a testament to the power of music and the love that it creates. Bravo!"

--S.A. Cosby, bestselling author of ALL THE SINNERS BLEED and RAZORBLADE TEARS

"Morton writes movingly of the way pain and art are intimately linked, and has a sharp eye for the gifts afforded by sobriety... It's a raw yet hopeful portrait of a tumultuous life." --Publisher's Weekly

"I've spent over half of my life crossing the globe with Mark Morton, and during that time he has been many things to me--bandmate, fellow roofer, drinking and drugging partner-in-crime, and even occasional drunken brawling opponent. Most importantly, he's been my dear friend. But for almost a decade, I was thoroughly convinced I would find him dead in his tour bus bunk. This book tells those stories, but it is also the story of how I got my friend back. I don't worry about him dying anymore, so read this and know that there is still hope, even when everything falls to pieces."--D. Randall Blythe, author of Dark Days and singer of lamb of god

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.