Lamb of God's 'Lamb of God' - Album Review

There is no denying that Virginia's Lamb of God are currently one of the biggest modern metal bands on the planet. Outside of a handful of acts who can regularly fill arenas, such as Slipknot and Five Finger Death Punch, Lamb of God really are the kings of the metal castle - and have successfully brought a sound that, at least in part, resembles extreme metal to the masses. Listening back to the band's 1999 debut album Burn the Priest (the self-titled release under their original name) now it is hard to imagine that the same band would one day hold such clout - but the hard graft that Lamb of God have put in over the years has certainly paid off. Albums such as 2003's As the Palaces Burn and 2004's Ashes of the Wake solidified the band's trademark mix of Pantera-esque grooves and hardcore punk-esque energy; while those releases that have followed have only sought to make the band bigger and meaner. It is fair to say that, on the whole, Lamb of God have continued to hone their sound over the years without ever really taking any radical deviations from a formula that has essentially been in place since the beginning. Despite their popularity, the band's critics have often said that Lamb of God seem quite happy to release the same album over and over again and have been stuck in a bit of a creative rut creatively since the late 2000s. Credence to this viewpoint came last year with the departure of the band's founding drummer Chris Adler - with him stating that he no longer felt that he and the rest of the band were on the same page, and he also voiced his frustration at the band's lack of willingness to experiment. I do not necessarily agree with the view that Lamb of God have become stale however, or that they never truly deviate from their long-established formula, and I think listening to the band's tenth studio album Lamb of God in the context of the rest of their recent work showcases this. In many ways, Lamb of God is the quintessential Lamb of God album; but it feels that way in part due to the directions that the band took on both 2012's Resolution and 2015's VII: Sturm und Drang (which I reviewed here); as well as their hardcore punk covers album Legion: XX which was released in 2018 under the Burn the Priest banner. Both of the band's previous two original albums contained plenty of subtle experimentation, and were far from being simple copies of Ashes of the Wake. They were albums that saw the band trying a few new things alongside their established sound, and they showed that Lamb of God were willing to push the boundaries somewhat. They have never truly been an AC/DC in that regard, and I enjoy both Resolution and VII: Sturm und Drang for their experimentation. I also enjoy Lamb of God however for its steadfast dedication to the band's core sound. The experimentation is largely absent this time around, and instead the album's ten songs showcase Lamb of God really doing what they do best. Lamb of God is a huge sounding groove metal album with tonnes of attitude and vigour, with the band clearly out to prove that this new era featuring drummer Art Cruz (Wings of Plague; Prong) is going to be just as vicious as the last. Cruz has the dubious honour of being the first new member of the band since Lamb of God became Lamb of God, and also of stepping into the shoes of one of the most respected modern metal drummers. Cruz acquits himself fantastically here however, and his drum performance throughout the album fits seamlessly within the band's established sound.

Despite Lamb of God on the whole sticking firmly to the band's tried and tested formula, the opening track Memento Mori opens up very slowly in comparison to how the band would usually kick off an album. The slow-burning, almost dirgy, opening moments of the song create an oppressive and sinister mood, with frontman Randy Blythe's murky clean vocals mixing perfectly with the atmospheric guitar textures. The band have flirted with this sound before, but here it really shines - and it only makes the main meat of the song sound even meaner and heavier when the album's first big metal riff kicks in. Once the song 'gets going', it is clear to see that Lamb of God have lost none of their power. Cruz's drum grooves are as potent and as snaking as his predecessor's; and Mark Morton and Willie Adler's riffs are still as bruising as ever. Everything really comes together perfectly on Memento Mori for me, and it is one of the band's best modern exponents of their quintessential sound. Mid-paced groove-based riffs sit perfectly alongside pacier thrash sections to keep the song interesting; while Blythe's vocal performance is one of his most caustic for sometime. It is easily one of the album's best songs, and it could well be the most powerful opening statement from the band yet - with the build up from the opening murk really helping the album get off to an atmospheric and heavy start. Checkmate is less dynamic, but it lacks little as a result. It was chosen as the album's lead single, and I can see why as it perfectly showcases the band's trademark sound and proves that this new look Lamb of God are as vital as ever. The opening bluesy riff may be a little too close to Ghost Walking for comfort, but besides this little bit of self-plagiarism Checkmate is quintessential Lamb of God. The verses strut along with southern-fried grooves, with John Campbell's powerful bassline holding everything together, before a faster-paced chorus allows Blythe the opportunity to lay down some hooky vocal lines that instantly lodge themselves in the brain. While it may not be as catchy as Lamb of God singles of the past, there are still a lot of memorable melodies here - and the song is sure to become a live favourite over the next few years. The guitar work is interesting too, with Morton providing a few little leads throughout, particularly during the choruses, which helps to break up the monotony of the riffing. Lead work is used sparingly by the band, but the few little leads that are used here really add to the feel of the overall song and they push its melodic nature even further. Gears is similar, but it is possibly the heaviest and most relentless track of the album so far. The pace is somewhat faster than the other two opening numbers, and the general approach taken here seems to be one of uncompromising heaviness. The atmospheric and bluesy moments from the opening two songs are absent here, with heavy riffing truly the name of the game this time around. That being said however, a rare Morton solo is an unexpected highlight. True solos in a Lamb of God song are rarer than even the standout lead lines, but the shredded section here is an explosion of energy that fits perfectly within the song's brutal approach. Lamb of God are a band known for their riffs, but occasionally they like to change things up a little - and the solo in Gears proves this.

Reality Bath opens with a low key bassline from Campbell that morphs into a strange Blythe spoken word piece set against the backdrop of a grinding riff - before the song explodes into another sledgehammer groove metal track. Parts of the song are easily some of the fastest on the whole album, with Cruz really getting to show off his footwork with some precise double bass drumming; while other moments hark back to the bluesy opening of Checkmate with effects-heavy guitar riffing and prominent, pulsing bass. Lamb of God are at their best when they are at their most dynamic. The band's best songs of the past mix fast-paced punky moments with mid-paced heaviness, and Reality Bath is a great example of this duality approach. We may have heard it many times before, but for me it still sounds vital and exciting. Those who love the band's more snaking tracks, such as Now You've Got Something to Die For, will love New Colossal Hate as it opens with a great Adler guitar groove which Cruz backs up with the band's trademark unconventional approach to metal drumming. The band are not one to lay into the double kick drums all the time, instead going for a more groove-based approach that includes a lot of well-timed fills and cymbal patterns. This song perfectly showcases that style, and as a result it becomes a bit of a spotlight piece for Cruz. He has nailed the band's style perfectly, and this track, perhaps more than any of the others, really showcases this. It also features one of the album's best choruses in my opinion, with Blythe's fist-in-the-air melodies really grabbing hold. Stadium-worthy is not something that I would often describe Lamb of God as being, but the chorus here is almost fitting of that tag - and for that reason I can also see this song becoming another live favourite. After a handful of tracks that really go for the throat, Resurrection Man slows things down somewhat and takes something of a doomier approach. It is similar in many ways to Omerta, with a creeping, heavy vibe throughout that never really picks up the pace - but instead relies on the weighty slow-paced riffing for its power, as well as a fantastic Blythe vocal. He has rarely sounded this gritty and mean before, and he actually reminds me a little of Napalm Death's Barney Greenway at times here. It is probably one of the heaviest songs that the band have written to date, but then there are occasional curve balls thrown in such as a short-lived section that has some subtle Gothenburg-style twin lead guitars. It is a bit of a blink-and-you-miss-it moment, but it adds a little bit of melody in what is otherwise a very caustic song - and the contrast works really well. Poison Dream is more typical of the album's overall sound, with a great groove-based intro bringing the best out of Cruz and Blythe sounding more like his usual self during a potent verse. It is also the first of two songs here to feature a guest vocalist. VII: Sturm und Drang featured a couple of questionable guest vocalists, and that is the same here too. Poison Dream features the talents of Jamey Jasta (Hatebreed; Kingdom of Sorrow) - who contributes a hardcore-esque bridge to what is otherwise a typical Lamb of God groove metal tune. I have never been the biggest fan of Jasta, but his additions really add nothing to the song for me. It ends up sounding like something from an early 2000s nu-metal album, so his part is instantly extremely dated. Luckily this vibe is very short-lived, and another of Morton's rare, but excellent, solos follows Jasta's contributions to instantly wash it from the memory.

Routes also features a guest vocalist, with Chuck Billy (Testament; Dublin Death Patrol) adding his distinct voice to the track. While again it could be argued that Billy's contributions are not really necessary, they certainly fit better within the song than Jasta's did previously. Routes is a fast-paced thrash number that is packed full of energy; and Billy's distinct croons do add nicely to the slower-paced, epic choruses. Testament have never been the fasted of thrash bands, so it is fitting that Billy's contribution to what is a very thrashy song for Lamb of God is during the slower, groovier chorus. Blythe seems to relish the opportunity to really let rip during the fast-paced verses; while his voice blends nicely with Billy's during the weighty and atmospheric choruses. Another Morton solo only adds further to the fast-paced chaos of the song, helping to make the track something of a winner. Bloodshot Eyes features some more clean vocals from Blythe, which is something that he has been experimenting with more over the past couple of albums. While he is still better as a harsh vocalist, I like the vocal diversity that he has been toying with recently. The verses here really benefit from the more low key approach, with Campbell's bass rumbling away beneath Blythe's croons, and the vocal diversity really makes the heavier sections sound all that more mean. The chorus here is another melodic winner, and it really helps that Blythe switches to his more typical harsh vocal approach to add some power. I imagine that some of the 'flat earth' end of the metal world will not appreciate Blythe's vocal diversity on the band's more recent albums, but I really like it and I hope that this is something that he continues to experiment with in the future - as when it is used effectively as it has been here it can really help to shake up the band's sound. The album's final track On the Hook is a furious balls-to-the-wall type effort that is trademark Lamb of God through and through - but with perhaps slightly more vim than usual. It is a very thrashy track, and there are even moments where Cruz breaks into a blast beat for extra power. These moments are short-lived, but they really help to add to the song's overall heavy aesthetic and again prove a subtle change of pace that is not typical within the band's sound. It is not the most memorable track from a melodic perspective, but it does not have to be. As a closing number it wants to leave an impression, and it certainly does that due to how pummellingly heavy it is. It is a song that takes no prisoners, and it showcases the sort of song that the band have been putting together since the beginning. Lamb of God have lost none of their power, and On the Hook is a perfect closing statement to back that up. Overall, Lamb of God is an excellent album from the five-piece that showcases everything that their fans have come to expect from them over the years. It may not be as experimental as the band's last couple of albums, but there are a few moments that deviate from the norm while still giving the fans what they want to hear. It might well be 'more of the same' for some, but for me it is a vital sounding modern metal album that showcases one of the genre's best exponents in a great light.

The album was released on 19th June 2020 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Memento Mori.