New Colossal Hate

Album: Lamb Of God (2020)
Play Video

Songfacts®:

  • "New Colossal Hate" addresses discrimination as Randy Blythe blasts the exploitative rhetoric against marginalized people which continues to divide America.

    The song's title is a reference to American poet Emma Lazarus' 1883 sonnet The New Colossus, which is inscribed on the base of the Statue of Liberty. The poem, which she wrote in two days, says, "Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore."
  • Speaking to ABC Audio, Randy Blythe explained how the Statue of Liberty inspired the song's imagery.

    "When you think of the Statue of Liberty, that is such a symbol of America - even though it came from France and was a gift," the frontman said. "When people think about America, they think about the Statue of Liberty. It's not just this big copper thing out on a rock outside New York City in the water. It's a symbol of our highest ideals."

    Blythe added that the viewpoints of many regarding immigration betrays those ideals. "I'm not saying everyone, but we are behaving in the polar opposite of one of the physical embodiments of our national ideals," he said. "And that bums me out."
  • The pummeling song came out of Lamb of God's very first writing session for their eponymous album when guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton, and producer Josh Wilbur got together at the Halo studio in South Windha, Maine. "I'm pretty sure 'New Colossal Hate' grew from a few different demos I had," said Adler. "You know, like parts of car. However, as it started to take shape, it quickly became my favorite song on the record."

Comments

Be the first to comment...

Editor's Picks

Hawksley Workman

Hawksley WorkmanSongwriter Interviews

One of Canada's most popular and eclectic performers, Hawksley tells stories about his oldest songs, his plentiful side projects, and the ways that he keeps his songwriting fresh.

Penny Ford of Snap!

Penny Ford of Snap!Songwriter Interviews

The original voice of Snap! this story is filled with angry drag queens, video impersonators and Chaka Khan.

Queen

QueenFact or Fiction

Scaramouch, a hoople and a superhero soundtrack - see if you can spot the real Queen stories.

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up Musicians

Into The Great Wide Open: Made-up MusiciansSong Writing

Eddie (played by Johnny Depp in the video) found fame fleeting, but Chuck Berry's made-up musician fared better.

Jimmy Webb

Jimmy WebbSongwriter Interviews

Webb talks about his classic songs "By the Time I Get to Phoenix," "Wichita Lineman" and "MacArthur Park."

American Hits With Foreign Titles

American Hits With Foreign TitlesSong Writing

What are the biggest US hits with French, Spanish (not "Rico Suave"), Italian, Scottish, Greek, and Japanese titles?