Desolation

A gritty, revealing heavy metal memoir by Lamb of God's lead guitarist and co-lyricist, which explores both his life in music and his tumultuous path through addiction and into recovery.

DESOLATION is the story of Morton's lifelong quest for clarity and self-acceptance, and shows how the pressures of career success and personal battles eventually came into conflict with Morton's dedication to the creative process. Intertwined with addiction, self-destruction, and the path to eventual surrender and recovery, Morton also reveals the greatest personal tragedy of his life: the death of his two-day old daughter, plunging 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 into his system on a daily basis.

And yet, amidst the harrowing heartbreak, there were moments of triumph, hope, and incredible personal connection. Morton developed close relationships with his bandmates and crew members, sharing experiences that have made for some strange and hilarious tales. He's 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. Through the highs and the lows, Morton learns how to find presence and gratitude where he once found fear and resentment, a process that he considers a gift of spiritual awakening.

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. Perfect for fans, new and old, as well as anyone who has ever been tested and brought to their limits, DESOLATION is a highly-satisfying, full-throttle investigation of the human experience.

"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

Mark Morton is best known as the lead guitarist and co-lyricist of the Grammy-nominated heavy metal band, Lamb of God. He lives in Virginia.

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