Artist: Lamb of God
Label: Metal Blade/ Prosthetic
Release Date: 9/26/00
|
|
Title: New American Gospel Artist: Lamb of God Label: Metal Blade/ Prosthetic Release Date: 9/26/00 |
Judgment Committee Reviews | Rating |
|
5 | ||
|
5 | ||
|
5 | ||
|
|
Go to Reader Reviews | ||
Abyss's Review:
I would like to start this review out by congratulating Metal Blade Records for signing such a great band. From the first moment I put on this disc, I was blown away. This is extreme metal at its finest. Combining technical prowess with amazing songwriting and a unique sound, Lamb of God have formed a metalhead's wet dream.
"Combining technical prowess with amazing songwriting and a unique sound, Lamb of God have formed a metalhead's wet dream." Literally every song on this disc is a winner; they are all of such a caliber that singling out any favorites is an effort in futility. Their sound is quite original, but if I was pigeon holed into describing it, I guess I would say it's ample parts American Death and Grind, with just a whisper of European Black thrown in to keep you guessing. Lamb of God bombard you with a dual growling attack that really carries the songs. This is a feature that is rare in such extreme music, and I can think of no example that does it better. The percussion attack is equally as intense, combining staggering rhythms with a precision that makes you wonder, just for a second, if it's mechanically assisted. The sound of the drums is equally impressive, and it's a good thing because, along with the vocals, the beats are what make these songs.
The guitar is pushed to the back a little, which normally, in my humble opinion, is a death sentence, but for some magical reason it works here. Probably mostly due to the sheer strength of the songwriting. I do wish the guitars were thickened up a little, however, as they come across a little thin, but considering the strength of the album as a whole, it seems like such an insignificant gripe.
"Literally every song on this disc is a winner." Basically, I'm not recommending this album to you, I'm actually asking you to buy it. It is for extreme fans only, though.
Death's Review:
I didn't know what to expect from Lamb of God, having never before heard the band or its prior incarnation, Burn the Priest. What an amazing surprise this album turned out to be. In some ways, its like nothing I've ever heard before. In others, it's the kind of album I've been searching for all of my metallic life.
Lamb of God combine sick, technical, thrash-style riffing with Relapse-type extremity and technical, math-metal complexity. Add to this a mild Pantera/Exhorder southern-groove and Dimebag Darrell -style guitar sound creativity, and top it off with some of the most amazingly aggressive, technical drumming I've heard in ages. This is Lamb of God: technical, extreme and insanely rhythmic, yet with a real definable groove. The album oozes with such perfectly executed metallic sickness that it would be hard to imagine this not slipping into my top ten of 2000 at year's end.
"In some ways, its like nothing I've ever heard before. In others, it's the kind of album I've been searching for all of my metallic life." The vocals are quite extreme. Very Anselmo-Trendkill derivative screams, helped along by the subtle southern-drawl. But overall, the brutality and unrelenting extremity of the delivery makes Anselmo sound like he's in the Backstreet Boys or something. This is much harsher - almost death/grind. The guitars are often engaged in a rhythmic thrash-style picking attack, the perfect balance between intricacy and aggression. The sound is razor-sharp, like Pantera or even Kilgore, but of course, these guitars maintain their brutal edge throughout.
Still, in the end, this record is all about the drumming. What an amazing player - Chris Adler should be worshipped as a drum god. Each riff is fully attacked with precision, complexity, aggression and character. The use of the toms, double-bass and choice cymbals bring a personality to the chaos, and really make this otherwise very good album a great one. Think Meshuggah or Cryptopsy combined with Foridden, Exodus, or Testament's Lombardo-led The Gathering and you'll begin to get the picture. The interesting production from Today is the Day leader Steve Austin (he also contributes vocals to one track) emphasizes the drumming over the guitars, but it actually works to great effect.
"What an amazing player - Chris Adler should be worshipped as a drum god." All in all, New American Gospel is one of the best new albums I've heard in a long time. If you like complex riffing matched by even more complex drumming, delivered in a brutal and uncompromising context, you should check out Lamb of God. This is truly top-level material, and the band's presence should only grow with time as word of this one spreads.
Hel's Review:
My first impression? Two words: drum fills. That's a person? Sheesh. This album is one of the freshest and most interesting to come up in months. One thing about the reviewing game, it gets to a point where a record has to be pretty damn interesting for it to break through the jade. So Lamb of God comes as a surprise.
"This album is one of the freshest and most interesting to come up in months." At this point, I should cease to be amazed when blown away by an album that Famine recommends, as was the case here. We should all learn a lesson from this. If a band used to be called "Burn the Priest", it has to be cool.
What I found while listening to this disc, is that it is angry and aggressive, and all those fun things I love in music. The guitars are, for the most part, pure crunchy distortion. The vocals are harsh and fierce. The entire band is driven by the deep bass lines and, well, we've already talked about the drumming. This contains a mixture of elements from several styles across the metal genres, but as some would say, "it's all good".
"If a band used to be called 'Burn the Priest,' it has to be cool." Shit, man, what more do you really want from a band you've never heard of? I'm now sorry that I neglected to check them out at the Milwaukee Metalfest, but I'll make a point of it next time. You should consider doing the same. Unless you're afraid...
[- Metal Judgment Home -] [- Email Metal Judgment -]
©1999 Metal Judgment. All rights reserved.