In July, metal band Lamb of God canceled its tour due to singer Randy Blythe being denied bail on manslaughter charges stemming from an audience member’s death in a 2010 Czech Republic concert. The band canceled shows in New York, Los Angeles, Montreal and more than two dozen other dates.
But one show the band did keep was its Aug. 17 Knotfest date in Council Bluffs. The band returns to Iowa for a show Tuesday, Dec. 4, at the Val Air Ballroom.
“It (the Knotfest show) was right after Randy was released from prison, and the offer was still there to come and play,” guitarist Willie Adler said during a phone interview. “It seemed like a very cathartic thing, to get together and do it again.”
Adler said support has been high, “borderline overwhelming,” and that metal fans are quick to rally behind those in need. Prosecutors in Prague are supposed to decide on how to move forward with Blythe’s case soon.
The legal problems have meant Lamb of God hasn’t really toured in support of the album “Resolution” yet, which came out in January. With “Resolution” Lamb of God continued the different style of recording it had started with 2009’s “Wrath.”
The band didn’t want to do anything in the recording process that it couldn’t replicate live. Gone were the filters and processors that add countless layers to so many rock songs today. What you hear on the album is what you’ll hear on Tuesday.
“It’s not like we changed how we played, it just made us aware of how we sound live,” Adler said. “That’s how we needed to start recording our tunes, because that’s what kids come to see. If it deviates greatly, it doesn’t make sense to me.”
Like every other rock star, Adler and the rest of Lamb of God always have tons of fans seeking autographs before and after shows. People get instruments signed, album covers, photos; if it exists, Adler and his bandmates have probably signed it.
Adler has signed some interesting things, but there’s one reoccurring item that always strikes him.
“Overall, it’s probably the prosthetic limbs. There’s a lot of fans at our regular shows like that, but we also do meet and greets for the Wounded Warrior Project.
“A ton of vets will come in and we’ll show them our love. A lot of them want their prosthetics signed. And that’s cool. It’s a good thing.”
Lamb of God
When: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 4
Where: Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines
Cost: $32 in advance, $35 day of show
Info: ticketweb.com
