Mark Morton, renowned as the guitarist and songwriter for the Grammy-nominated metal band Lamb of God, has significantly influenced the heavy metal scene with his intricate riffs and dynamic performances. Over a career spanning more than two decades, Morton has contributed to the band's platinum-selling albums and garnered critical acclaim for his technical prowess and songwriting skills. Beyond his work with Lamb of God, Morton has ventured into solo projects that showcase his versatility as a musician.
In his latest solo endeavour, the album ‘Without The Pain,' Morton delves into his southern musical roots, exploring genres such as southern rock, blues, Americana, and outlaw country. This project features collaborations with notable artists including Cody Jinks, Jaren Johnston of The Cadillac Three, Charlie Starr of Blackberry Smoke, and guitar solos from Grace Bowers and Jason Isbell. Morton co-wrote every track on the album, except for a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's ‘The Needle and the Spoon,' reflecting themes of healing, growth, and self-reflection. ‘Without The Pain' serves as a continuation of the introspective journey he began in his autobiography, ‘Desolation: A Heavy Metal Memoir,' offering listeners a deeply personal and musically diverse experience.
Mark Morton’s ‘Without the Pain' is a fascinating showcase of the guitarist’s versatility beyond his work with Lamb of God. It’s a record that spans decades of rock history, blending 70s blues-rock, 80s hair metal, 90s grunge, southern and modern rock into a seamless collection of songs. With an impressive lineup of guest vocalists, each track takes on a distinct identity, yet Morton’s signature guitar work ties it all together. This is an album that leans into its influences while forging its own path, offering listeners everything from swampy southern grooves to massive anthemic choruses.
The album kicks off with ‘Hell & Back' featuring Jaren Johnston, a funky and groove-heavy track that radiates southern heat. The song blends modern rock with an Americana swagger, as Johnston sings, “Let’s testify,” before launching into lyrics about enduring hardships. Morton’s smouldering guitar solo provides a fiery punctuation to the track, setting the tone for what’s to come. ‘Brother,' featuring Cody Jinks, takes a darker turn with its Western-tinged intro, reminiscent of Blake Shelton’s ‘God’s Country' and Bon Jovi’s ‘Wanted Dead or Alive.' As the song progresses, the guitars and drums explode into a loud, brash, and emotionally charged anthem, with Jinks questioning, “Are you too far down that dead-end road?” in a song rich with biblical imagery and sibling angst.
Title track ‘Without the Pain' sees Morton embracing his hard rock roots with Blacktop Mojo’s Matt James delivering a powerful vocal performance. The song carries a hair-metal cadence in the verses before bursting into a ferocious, Papa Roach-style chorus, dripping with Aerosmith swagger and aggressive energy. Meanwhile, ‘Kite String,' featuring Travis Denning, slows things down with a more acoustic-driven, campfire-like feel. Denning, a country artist with a penchant for 80s rock, brings a hopeful yet melancholic tone, singing, “What doesn’t kill us just takes longer,” in a song that explores themes of aspiration and uncertainty. “This was supposed to be a sure thing,” Denning bemoans, having to face himself in the mirror.
One of the standout moments on the album comes with ‘Come December,' featuring Charlie Starr and Jason Isbell. With its Rolling Stones and Beatles influences, the track carries a gospel-tinged southern rock vibe, further enhanced by rich Hammond organ textures. The song reflects on relationships and reconciliation, with the line “Come December” serving as a hopeful nod to healing and renewal. In contrast, ‘Dust,' featuring Cody Jinks and Grace Bowers, leans into 80s rock with a classic southern edge. Jinks sings, “Don’t think you’re the only one chasing dust in the bottom of the bag,” a raw reflection on survival and resilience, while Morton delivers yet another blistering solo. Speaking of 80s rock, perhaps that era's biggest moment on this album comes in the shape of ‘Forever in the Light' featuring Tyler Bryant. It explodes with a dirty, sleezy riff and distorted vocals. Think Motley Crue, think the sleeze artists of the 80s like L.A. Guns and Vain jamming along with ‘Slave to the Grind' era Skid Row for a touchstone on this hard rocking song full of big guitars, organ and a whole bunch of attitude.
Morton then switches to the 90s and channels a great big dose of Pearl Jam for ‘Nocturnal Sun' featuring Troy Sanders and Jared James Nichols. Perhaps the most outwardly aggressive song on the album as Grunge rides again in hypnotic fashion. A further shift finds a cover of Lynyrd Skynyrd's ‘The Needle and the Spoon' with Neil Fallon singing about all the obvious drug references as Morton goes to town on the guitars, producing a muscle-bound song full of southern swagger and fiery grooves.
Closing the album ‘Home,' featuring Travis Denning, takes a deeply personal turn. Opening with the sound of a toddler’s laughter, it immediately signals a shift in tone, as Denning sings about being “lost at sea” and struggling with self-identity. The track builds into the most melodic and commercial-sounding chorus on the album, with Morton’s guitar work echoing the bluesy, laid-back feel of 70s Eric Clapton as he yearns to come home, presumably from another Lamb of God tour that is criss-crossing the world.
As a whole, ‘Without the Pain' is a thrilling ride through rock’s many eras, packed with big choruses, muscular riffs and searing guitar solos. Whether you’re drawn to the southern grit, the 80s sleaze, the 90s Grunge or the modern rock bombast, Morton’s latest effort offers something for every rock fan as he conducts this whistle-stop tour of ‘rock through the ages' in a brash, bold, masterful style.
Tracklist: 01. Hell & Back 02. Brother 03. Without The Pain 04. Kite String 05. Come December 06. Dust 07. Forever In The Light 08. Nocturnal Sun 09. The Needle And The Spoon 10. Home Release Date: 11th April Record Label: Snakefarm Records Buy ‘Without the Pain' right here.
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