Iznterview with Lamb of God guitarist Willie Adler:

You guys just put out “Sacrament,” you’ve been nominated for a Grammy and you’re one of the biggest names in metal nowadays. What do you attribute all of this success to?

Well, we’ve been doing this for so long. We work hard and stay true to the music. And the Grammy is a nice honor; it was never a goal of ours, but it’s nice to get the recognition.

You’ve toured with some metal legends, including Slayer and Megadeth. If that isn’t a sign of success, I don’t know what is. What’s it like touring with the bands you listened to growing up?

It was an absolute honor. Being able to tour with bands you grew up listening to, bands that played such a huge role when we were young. We all got to hang out and became friends; it was definitely a good experience.

What are some of the band’s biggest influences in and outside of metal?

Dimebag definitely, Kirk Hammet, Hetfield, Jeff Waters and Marty Friedman, just Overkill in general. Our families drive us with their support, and all our fans definitely.

Where do you see your music heading?

We’re doing this because it’s about honesty; its what we love to do. Nobody wants to put out the same album twice – it’s about growth, maturing, becoming more complex. We just do what comes natural to us.

Next up is Machine Head guitarist Phil Demmel:

You guys have developed and changed a lot stylistically over the past few years, becoming more technical and complex. What has inspired Machine Head to develop in this way?

Well, I wouldn’t say we’ve changed all that much, though we have become more technical. This album encapsulates the previous 5 albums, but the fans will be pleased to hear that all the songs are epics; there’s no three-minute radio hit. We really took this one to the next level.

I know you’ve been with the band a few years now, and you have your own ideas and influences. What impact do you think you’ve personally made on the band?

When I joined Machine Head, they were at their lowest point. I helped bring new life into the band because they were all good friends. I helped to light the fire that was already there.

Your current tour is one of the biggest I can remember Machine Head being a part of. How has life been on the road with Lamb of God, Trivium and Gojira?

This tour has been amazing; it’s a great lineup from top to bottom. I had heard Gojira on the radio before the tour and liked them, Trivium are a great bunch of kids and Lamb of God has done so much for our type of music. I mean they are Grammy-nominated; they’ve really helped to get our music out to the people, not to mention they are one of my favorite bands.

Describe a Machine Head fan.

Machine Head fans are some of the craziest in the metal business. They are extremely loyal and dedicated. We work hard to keep in contact with our fans, get involved with them as much as possible.

I know you will be on tour with Heaven and Hell and Megadeth this spring. You must all be excited for that.

Well, we’re all huge fans of Dio era Black Sabbath, and Megadeth are metal icons we all love. We can’t wait to meet those guys and jam with them. We play their stuff all the time, and it will be great to spend some time on the road together.

P.S.: I will be attending the Lamb of God, Machine Head, Trivium and Gojira show on March 23rd – don’t miss out on this killer line up!