Anesthetic (album) explained

Anesthetic
Type:	studio
Artist:	Mark Morton
Cover:	File:Anesthetic_Mark_Morton_album_cover.jpg
Recorded:	2017–2018
Studio:	Hybrid Studios (Santa Ana, California, US) NRG Studios (North Hollywood, California, US) The Magpie Cage (Baltimore, Maryland, US) The Mill Studio (Cayman Islands)
Genre:	Hard rock^[1]
Length:	42:38
Label:	Spinefarm
Next Title:	Ether
Next Year:	2020

Anesthetic is the first solo album by American guitarist Mark Morton, released on March 1, 2019 via Spinefarm.

Background

The album features guest performances by Jacoby Shaddix of Papa Roach, Myles Kennedy of Alter Bridge, Chuck Billy of Testament, Mark Lanegan, Josh Todd of Buckcherry, Alissa White-Gluz of Arch Enemy, the late Chester Bennington of Linkin Park, Jake Oni of Oni and Randy Blythe of Lamb of God. According to Morton, he had been writing new material for his solo record for "quite some time".^[2]

Sound and composition

Mark Morton outlined the difference between his solo album and his work with Lamb of God:

Release

The first single, "The Truth Is Dead", was released on December 13, 2018, premiering on Sirius XM Liquid Metal. The song features Morton's Lamb of God bandmate Randy Blythe and Arch Enemy frontwoman Alissa White-Gluz on vocals.^[3]

The second single off the record, "Cross Off", which features Chester Bennington, debuted at number 18 on the US Billboard Hard Rock Digital Song Sales with 2,000 downloads and 209,000 streams in its first week.^[4] A music video for "Cross Off" was released on March 5, directed by Roboshobo.^[5] The music video for "Cross Off" features an empty microphone as a tribute to Bennington, who died in 2017.^[6]

Reception

Wall of Sound gave the album a 7/10 and stated: "On the one hand he has nabbed some great artists to assist him get this album a release, however I think he has missed the mark on half the tracks by playing along with the Lamb of God playbook too often."^[7]

Personnel

• Mark Morton – guitars, bass, vocals

Additional vocalists

• Chester Bennington – vocals
• Jacoby Shaddix – vocals
• Mark Lanegan – vocals
• Chuck Billy – vocals
• Jake Oni – vocals
• Myles Kennedy – vocals, backing vocals
• Mark Morales – vocals, backing vocals
• Josh Todd – vocals
• Naeemah Maddox – vocals
• Randy Blythe – vocals
• Alissa White-Gluz – vocals

Additional instrumentalists

• Paolo Gregoletto – bass
• Alex Bent – drums
• Marc Ford – guitars
• Mike Inez – bass
• Steve Gorman – drums
• David Ellefson – bass
• Roy Mayorga – drums
• Ray Luzier – drums
• Yanni Papadopoulos – bass
• Jean-Paul Gaster – drums
• Chris Brooks – keyboards

Production

• Josh Wilbur – producer, engineering, mixing
• Mark Morton – producer
• Jake Oni – executive producer
• Jay Robbins – engineering
• Paul Suarez – engineering
• Roy Mayorga – engineering
• Brad Blackwood – mastering
• Daniel Danger – artwork, art direction

Charts

Chart (2019)! scope="col"

Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[8]	97
UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)^[9]	8

External links

• Anesthetic on Mark Morton's official website

Notes and References

1. Web site: Lamb of God's Mark Morton on His Solo Album: 'It Was More Work Than I Initially Anticipated' - Blabbermouth.net . 14 May 2019 . 2019-05-14 . 2019-05-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190514135152/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/lamb-of-gods-mark-morton-on-his-solo-album-it-was-more-work-than-i-initially-anticipated/ . live .
2. Web site: LAMB OF GOD Guitarist's 'Anesthetic' Solo Album To Feature Guest Appearances By LINKIN PARK, PAPA ROACH Members. 14 December 2018. BLABBERMOUTH.NET. 21 January 2019. 2 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190402015413/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/lamb-of-god-guitarists-anesthetic-solo-album-to-feature-guest-appearances-by-linkin-park-papa-roach-members/. live.
3. Web site: HEAR LAMB OF GOD GUITARIST MARK MORTON'S NEW SONG WITH RANDY BLYTHE, ALISSA WHITE-GLUZ . . 14 December 2018 . 2019-01-22 . 2019-01-23 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190123010430/https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-lamb-god-guitarist-mark-mortons-new-song-randy-blythe-alissa-white-gluz . live .
4. Chester Bennington Returns to Billboard Charts on Mark Morton's 'Cross Off'. Billboard. 21 January 2019. 18 January 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190118003728/https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/8493791/chester-bennington-returns-billboard-charts-mark-morton-cross-off. live.
5. Web site: LAMB OF GOD's MARK MORTON Releases Video For 'Cross Off' Song Featuring CHESTER BENNINGTON . www.blabbermouth.net . 5 March 2019 . Blabbermouth . 5 March 2019 . 6 March 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190306043129/http://www.blabbermouth.net/news/lamb-of-gods-mark-morton-releases-video-for-cross-off-song-featuring-chester-bennington/ . live .
6. Web site: Mark Morton And Chester Bennington's Cross Off Video Is Eerily Haunted. Kerrang!.
7. Web site: Mark Morton – Anesthetic (Album Review). Plugga73. 2019-02-24. Wall of Sound. en-US. 2019-02-24. 2019-02-24. https://web.archive.org/web/20190224174006/https://wallofsoundau.com/2019/02/24/mark-morton-anesthetic-album-review/. live.
8. Web site: ARIA Chart Watch #515. auspOp. March 9, 2019. March 9, 2019. March 28, 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190328043207/https://www.auspop.com.au/2019/3/aria-chart-watch-515/. live.
9. Web site: Official Rock & Metal Albums Chart Top 40. Official Charts Company. March 8, 2019. February 14, 2022.