Cannibal Corpse was made up of members from three earlier Buffalo-area death metal bands, Beyond Death (Webster, Owen), Leviathan (Barnes), and Tirant Sin (Barnes, Rusay, Mazurkiewicz). The band played their first show at
Buffalo’s River Rock Cafe in April 1989, shortly after recording a five-song demo tape Cannibal Corpse. Within a year of that first gig, the band was signed to Metal Blade Records and their full-length, debut album, Eaten Back to Life, was released in August 1990.

Writing for a new album began in November 2007, as presaged in an interview with bassist Alex Webster.

Since its formation, Lamb of God has released five studio albums, one live album, and two DVDs. The band’s cumulative sales equal almost two million in the
United States. In 2007 the band received a Grammy Nomination for their 2006 album Sacrament. Lamb of God has toured with the Ozzfest twice, and appeared at the Download, and Gigantour festivals. They are often considered as one of the leading bands of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal.

In 1997, Morton returned to the band. The following year, the band released its first full-length self-titled album, Burn the Priest, through Legion Records. The album was produced by Today is the Day guitarist and vocalist Steve Austin. Spear left the band, leaving an open position for a guitarist. Adler’s brother, Will Adler, became the band’s second guitarist. A year later, Willie Adler joined the band, and a deal with Prosthetic Records was signed. After being banned from playing in certain places (some venue owners believing the band possessed an “evil” name), Burn the Priest changed their name to Lamb of God.