Randy Blythe

D. Randy Blythe

Blythe at 2009's Optimus! Alive
Background information
Birth name David Randall Blythe
Born (1971-02-21) February 21, 1971
Origin Fort Meade, Maryland, United States
Genres Groove metal, thrash metal, death metal (early)
Occupation(s) Musician, songwriter, actor, author
Instruments Vocals
Years active 1995—present
Labels Epic, Roadrunner
Associated acts Lamb of God, Halo of Locusts, Gojira, Cannabis Corpse, Chthonic, A Life Once Lost, Metal Allegiance, Haste, Deafheaven, Power Trip, Eyehategod

David Randall "Randy" Blythe (born February 21, 1971) is the vocalist and lyricist of American heavy metal band Lamb of God and side-project band Halo of Locusts. He also performed guest vocals for Cannabis Corpse, Overkill and Gojira. He is known as D. Randall Blythe on Lamb of God's albums. As a teenager, he looked up to bands of the hardcore punk scene such as the Sex Pistols, Bad Brains, and Black Flag.

In June 2012, Blythe was arrested in the Czech Republic and was indicted on manslaughter charges related to the 2010 death of Daniel Nosek, a 19-year-old fan, after a Lamb of God concert. The Czech court found that Blythe had pushed the fan off the stage and was "morally responsible" for the killing, but held that liability for Nosek's death also lay with promoters and security members, and ultimately acquitted Blythe of the criminal charges specifically.[1][2]

After his acquittal, Blythe recorded the album VII: Sturm und Drang with Lamb of God, an album inspired by the manslaughter case and his detention time in the Czech Republic.

He is currently touring with Eyehategod as their vocalist.

Professional career

Blythe joined Lamb of God in 1995, when they were still known as Burn The Priest.[3] Before Lamb of God was successful, he had previously worked as a cook.

Blythe also has a side project band known as Halo of Locusts, who were founded around 2004. A full-length release was planned, but has yet to be released. They contributed to For the Sick, the tribute album for Eyehategod, covering "Dixie Whiskey".[4] In 2005, Blythe worked with the metalcore outfit A Life Once Lost on their album Hunter. He provided additional vocals on the track "Vulture" as well as helped in the vocal processing of the track. He later worked with them again in 2007 on "Iron Gag." He also appeared on the song "Skull and Bones"" by the band Overkill and "Adoration for None" on Gojira's album The Way of All Flesh. He was also featured on Shadows Fall song, King of Nothing, on their 2009 release, Retribution.

Blythe was featured in many of his peers' DVDs, such as Killswitch Engage's (Set This) World Ablaze and Machine Head's Elegies. Blythe was also featured in Metal: A Headbanger's Journey, Working Class Rock Star and Melissa Cross's The Zen of Screaming.

He appears as Luke in the movie The Graves (2009), written and directed by Brian Pulido.[5]

On January 5, 2012, Blythe announced that he would be running for President of the United States via a blog entry entitled "I want to be The Big Cheese".[6] His official campaign slogan was "Fuck the dumb shit. Let's get real here." Blythe did not appear on the ballot in any of the fifty states or the District of Columbia.[7][8]

On November 20, 2014, was announced that Blythe is to star in an action movie being made by Taiwanese metal band Chthonic.[9]

On July 14, 2015, Blythe's first book, Dark Days: A Memoir was released by Da Capo Press. During its first week of sales, it made the Publishers Weekly non-fiction National Best Sellers list.

In September 2015, Blythe revealed that during the first ten years of his career with Lamb of God he had also worked as a roofer and a restaurant worker in order to survive.[10]

In February 2016, he joined Deafheaven on stage at the Hollywood Palladium in Los Angeles with their song "Dream House".

In September 2016 he was recruited by Eyehategod as a replacement for lead singer Mike Williams during their US tour.[11] [12]

Manslaughter charges

At the end of June 2012, Blythe was arrested, charged and remanded in custody by the Czech authorities in connection with an incident that had happened during Lamb of God's previous concert in Prague two years earlier. According to the prosecution, Blythe shoved Daniel Nosek, a 19-year-old fan, off stage, thus inflicting fatal wounds on him. After being released on bail, which was contended by the State Attorney, Blythe denied responsibility for Nosek's death and pledged to return to attend the trial, which began on February 4, 2013.[13]

According to a verdict delivered by the Municipal Court in Prague on March 5, 2013, it was proven that Blythe had thrown Nosek off the stage and Blythe thus has the moral responsibility for his death. Due to the circumstances, however, Blythe was held not criminally liable with most of the blame lying with the promoters and the security members.[1] The State Attorney announced that he will appeal the verdict.[14] The acquittal was upheld by the Prague High Court on June 5, 2013.[2]

Recording history

Randy Blythe at 2004's Ozzfest.

With Burn the Priest

With Lamb of God

Guest appearances

References

  1. 1 2 Josef Koukal (March 5, 2013). "Soud metalového zpěváka Blytha osvobodil, je nevinen" [The court has acquitted Blythe the metal singer, he is innocent]. novinky.cz (in Czech). novinky.cz. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Czech appeals court clears Randy Blythe in fan's death". Richmond Times-Dispatch. June 5, 2013. Retrieved June 15, 2013.
  3. ↑ "The Burn the Priest Story". Retrieved February 20, 2013.
  4. ↑ "Various artists – For the Sick: A Tribute to Eyehategod". Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  5. ↑ "The Graves (2008)". IMDb. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  6. ↑ "I want to be The Big Cheese.".
  7. ↑ McKenna, Dave (January 29, 2012) "Lamb of God gives local blast before global tour", "Blythe – who announced recently via YouTube that he was bidding to become president in 2012...." The Washington Post, Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  8. ↑ Dörting, Torsten & Wigger, Jan (February 9, 2012) "The most important metal albums of the month: 4th Part: Lamb Of God – healing for hip-hop artists", "Statement: If you have even traced in part in the race for the Republican presidential nomination in the U.S., suspects that it is finally time to infiltrate the political system of the United States. This man is ready: LOG singer Blythe has recently announced his candidacy.", Spiegel Online. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
  9. ↑ http://metalhammer.teamrock.com/news/2014-11-20/randy-blythe-to-star-in-chthonic-action-movie
  10. ↑ "Randy Blythe: 'For 10 of the 20 Years I Was in Lamb of God, I Was a Roofer and Restaurant Worker at the Same Time' - Music News @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com".
  11. ↑ "Eyehategod Recruit Randy Blythe in Place of Mike IX Williams".
  12. ↑ "Watch LAMB OF GOD's RANDY BLYTHE Front EYEHATEGOD In Portland". October 9, 2016.
  13. ↑ Kenety, Brian (March 5, 2013) "Lamb of God's Randy Blythe acquitted of manslaughter" CNN, Retrieved March 7, 2013.
  14. ↑ "Kauza usmrceného fanouška – zpěvák Blythe zproštěn obžaloby" [The case of the killed fan – singer Blythe cleared of charges]. ceskatelevize.cz (in Czech). ceskatelevize.cz. March 5, 2013. Retrieved April 7, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Lamb of God frontman to guest on new Gojira album". blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2008-09-01.
  16. ↑ "SHADOWS FALL: New Song Featuring RANDY BLYTHE (GOD in the flesh) Posted Online". blabbermouth.net. Retrieved 2009-07-25.
  17. ↑ Metalship (February 22, 2012). "Interview with John Campbell (Lamb of God bassist)". Metalship. Retrieved 2012-02-28.
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