LAMB OF GOD Frontman: We Sound More Like A SLAYER Rip-Off Than A PANTERA Rip-Off

During a brand new interview with Canada's Exclaim.ca, vocalist Randy Blythe of Richmond, Virginia metallers LAMB OF GOD was asked about the persistent comparisons between his band and metal heavyweights PANTERA.

"Phil [Anselmo] is a great vocalist and PANTERA were a great band, but they're PANTERA and we're us," Blythe replied. "Phil wasn't a huge influence on me; when I started singing I was listening to a bunch of really, really brutal death metal and really crazy grindcore, that's what got me into metal and then I had to go back and find PANTERA and a couple of the bigger bands. I was more into the underground shit first.

"The thing is, Phil is not the only dude in the world who has ever screamed and so what?"

He continued, "It's interesting to me. I think we get a lot of PANTERA comparisons for a lot of different reasons; because we're from the South, because we both have some groove and a lot of Southern rock influences that come through. PANTERA were certainly an influence on us as a band, particularly on the guitar players, but some things just sort of happen naturally, it's just the way it is. I always thought we sound more like a SLAYER rip-off than a PANTERA rip-off."

In a 2010 interview, former PANTERA singer Philip Anselmo was asked if he had any feelings about some of the modern metal bands such as MASTODON, LAMB OF GOD and AVENGED SEVENFOLD. "I've got respect for MASTODON; I think they play very well for what they do," he replied. "I think the drummer is very, very entertaining to watch; he's a fuckin' excellent drummer. Super-cool guys to hang out with; a lot of fun. I think that music is a wide open world. Of course I know what you're fishin' for. I think PANTERA left a big imprint on them. It's flattering and sometimes if I walk into a room and I hear somethin' playing real, real low that sounds real fuckin' familiar, nine times out of ten it's one of them bands you're mentioning. But that's fine. The biggest argument could be this and I get this: PANTERA doesn't exist anymore. The records exist but we're not creating music anymore so there's a void there. And I guess these bands are filling a void. So you've got to take that into account as well."

When asked if he thought that any of these contemporary bands will have the impact and staying power that PANTERA had, Anselmo said, "PANTERA revolutionized the sound and the approach to heavy metal. It's been regurgitated. Once you up the production on a product and not just the playing but the actual production, then it's going to up the ante. Period. Bands are going to want that sound and Dimebag had a monster fuckin' guitar sound; it was all a matter of getting it on tape right. He always had that great sound."