After postponing its release date, Lamb Of God are finally back to conquer the metal scene with their eighth studio album.
Taking their longest break between albums since their formation in 1994, Lamb Of God have returned with a bang after debuting their latest, self-titled album.
Originally intended to be released back in May, the album’s debut was pushed back following the outbreak of the Coronavirus pandemic, however, for fans, the album appears to be well worth the wait.
The band’s first album with new drummer, Art Cruz, Lamb Of God immediately stop audiences in their tracks from the moment the first track, ‘Memento Mori’, begins. From the chilling, nearly two-minute-long introduction to the immense power and technicality within the song, the album opens with an immediate reminder that the band have returned and refuse to hold back.
In many aspects, Lamb Of God feels oddly reminiscent to the band’s most successful hits over the years, with ‘Gears’, ‘Reality Bath’ and ‘New Colossal Hate’ all delivering the classic sound that the band pioneered back in 1994.
Yet, whilst still clinging onto their original sound, Lamb Of God refuse to simply regurgitate the same work as within their previous releases, instead, opting for a more politically driven album than seen before.
From the highly politicised ‘New Colossal Hate’ to the direct attack of Trump’s America in ‘Checkmate’ as Blythe aggressively barks “Make America Hate Again”, the album serves as a politically-driven awakening for fans.
Alongside their traditional uptempo riffs and earth-shattering vocals, the album also incorporates sinister, hauntingly-beautiful elements to give their extensive discography a new lease of life.
The opening track and ‘Resurrection Man’ exemplify this best, hinting at inspiration from artists such as Type O Negative and Marilyn Manson alongside their unmistakeable Metalcore roots.
Similarly, ‘Poison Dream’ and ‘On The Hook’ are tracks to highly anticipate seeing live: perfectly executing the unchallenged eruption of energy that the band are most widely recognised for.
Yet, of the entire album, it seems to be the guest appearance by Testament vocalist, Chuck Billy, in ‘Routes’ that is the most refreshing track of the album- proving that in some cases, the deviation from an artist’s signature sound is the one that pays off the most.
As a whole, Lamb Of God have finally found themselves able to deliver their signature sound in a refreshing way. By incorporating elements from different genres and embedding their politically-aware lyrics throughout, the album promises to be a guaranteed fan-favourite.
Lamb Of God is out now via Nuclear Blast Records and available on all streaming platforms.
Beneath the Surface 