ITP V.012: REVIEW: LAMB OF GOD: RESOLUTION

BAND: LAMB OF GOD (RICHMOND,VIRGINIA,USA) GENRE: THRASH/METAL CORE LABEL: EPIC/ROADRUNNER RECORDS RELEASE DATE: 1/24/2012

PREVIOUS RELEASES (CATALOG): WRATH TOUR 2009/2010 (LIVE RELEASE-2012-ROADRUNNER RECORDS *LIMITED EDITION WITH PRE ORDER OF RESOLUTION-EPIC RECORDS), HOURGLASS VOLUME III CD ANTHOLOGY (COMPILATION-2010-EPIC RECORDS), HOURGLASS VOLUME II: THE EPIC YEARS (COMPILATION-2010-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), HOURGLASS VOLUME 1: THE UNDERGROUND YEARS (COMPILATION-2010-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), HOURGLASS: THE ULTIMATE ANTHOLOGY (COMPILATION/BOXED SET-2010-ROADRUNNER RECORDS), HOURGLASS: THE SUPER DELUXE SET (COMPILATION/BOXED SET-2010-EPIC RECORDS), WRATH (2009-EPIC RECORDS), WALK WITH ME IN HELL (DVD-2008-EPIC RECORDS), UNHOLY ALLIANCE (SPLIT DVD-VIDEO-2007-AMERICAN RECORDINGS-Children of Bodom / Lamb of God / Slayer / Mastodon / Thine Eyes Bleed), SACRAMENT (2006-EPIC RECORDS), KILLADELPHIA (2005-LIVE RELEASE-EPIC RECORDS), KILLADELPHIA (2005-DVD-EPIC RECORDS), ASHES OF THE WAKE (2004-EPIC RECORDS), TERROR AND HUBRIS (2004-DVD-PROSTHETIC RECORDS), AS THE PALACES BURN (2003-PROSTHETIC RECORDS), NEW AMERICAN GOSPEL (2000-PROSTHETIC RECORDS)


BEST RELEASE(S): RESOLUTION (2012), ASHES OF THE WAKE (2004), NEW AMERICAN GOSPEL (2000), AS THE PALACES BURN (2003)

TRACKLISTING: LAMB OF GOD: RESOLUTION:

01. Straight For The Sun
02. Desolation
03. Ghost Walking
04. Guilty
05. The Undertow
06. The Number Six
07. Barbarosa
08. Invictus
09. Cheated
10. Insurrection
11. Terminally Unique
12. To The End
13. Visitation
14. King Me



ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****

In 1990, Richmond Virginia college students (guitarist) Mark Morton, (drummer) Chris Adler and (bassist) John Campbell formed a metal band called BURN THE PRIEST on LEGION records. MORTON temporarily left the fold for graduate school and in 1995 RANDY BLYTHE joined the fold on vocals.

After BURN THE PRIEST recorded many split releases, Mark Morton returned to the band in 1997. BURN THE PRIEST released a full length produced by STEVE AUSTIN (TODAY IS THE DAY), played many DIY shows as guitarist Willie Adler re-joined BURN THE PRIEST replacing ABE SPEAR..After being banned for the projects name, and feeling the band name was immature, BURN THE PRIEST changed the projects name to LAMB OF GOD and inked a deal with PROSTHETIC RECORDS.

LAMB OF GOD released the bands PROSTHETIC RECORDS debut and sophomore efforts "New American Gospel" and "As The Palaces Burn" as the band toured relentlessly. LAMB OF GOD's first U.S. tour was with fellow Richmond, Virginia metal warriors GWAR. In the wake of the 'NU METAL' craze, metal core and a nu wave of thrash bands emerged from the American metal scene as with many of their metal core contemporaries, LAMB OF GOD were dubbed the "The New Wave Of American Heavy Metal".

Hard work and relentless touring finally paying off, LAMB OF GOD scored a major label deal with EPIC RECORDS (2004-ROADRUNNER/EPIC consolidated deal) and unleashed the bands break through release ASHES OF THE WAKE. Since the second half of the last decade, LAMB OF GOD have unleashed two more releases on EPIC RECORDS including SACRAMENT and WRATH.

LAMB OF GOD have since toured major metal festivals worldwide including OZZFEST, SOUNDS OF THE UNDERGROUND, DOWNLOAD, UNHOLY ALLIANCE (WITH SLAYER), GIGANTOUR, WACKEN OPEN AIR. LAMB OF GOD's riveting live shows have been documented on DVD (KILLADELPHIA) as the band resurrected the mosh pit craze "The Wall Of Death" first started in the New York Hard Core scene.

LAMB OF GOD are a groove laden thrash band with a more tempered post PANTERA sound, influenced by Southern blues and the 80's thrash and post hardcore/metal core scenes.

Here at ITP V.012 we have LAMB OF GOD's latest release "Resolution". Many in the metal scene ask, now with a major label support will LAMB OF GOD take risks and evolve past the faceless PANTERA/SLAYER clones for a musical evolution or rehash the same Southern core/groove?

LAMB OF GOD's "Resolution" kicks off with a 2:10 short opener "Straight For The Sun", and like a shot of whiskey and a quick drunken kick to the teeth, (vocalist) RANDY BLYTHE's inhales and belts out a terrifying scream as he is backed by some brutal down tuned groovy riffs.

LAMB OF GOD's "Desolation" kicks off with some kick ass rhythm guitar, rolling riffs and intense thrash energy as by now you should be moshing where ever you may be, and if someone is standing next to you, lmao, LEVEL them to the ground... LAMB OF GOD's "Desolation" is rounded out by some tight rhythm guitar riff/groove transitions courtesy of guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton and a shout along chorus: "DESOLATION, still searching for no where".. \m/ \m/

LAMB OF GOD's "Ghost Walking" enters with a countdown to three and an insightful bluesy acoustic guitar intro as the band kicks in with a brutal segue of tight thrash/groove. LAMB OF GOD vocalist RANDY BLYTHE's barks/screams are a soapbox as the rest of band are a soundscape to your urban, working class chaos. LAMB OF GOD lay down some quality if not generic thrash, good solos as "Ghost Walking" is a quality song.

LAMB OF GOD's "Guilty" is more of the same, tight, generic groove laden thrash played with conviction.

LAMB OF GOD's "The Undertow" revels punk/hardcore swagger, with SLAYER-esque riffs ripped straight from the tab book thrown in for pit appeal (1:34)..

LAMB OF GOD's "The Number Six" again is riddled with metal core cliches, an attempt at generic metal core with sung choruses, Gang vocals ("You dug your own grave") boring spoken word all strung together in some incohesive attempt at angst.

As many musicians use instrumental tracks as an opportunity to shine or shred, LAMB OF GOD's instrumental acoustic breathier "Barbarosa" is nothing memorable as the acoustic, blues intro of "Ghost Walking" is mucho better.

LAMB OF GOD's "Invictus" is a sludgy hardcore influenced number with featuring a quality performance by both guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler ruined by occasional gang vocals. The sludge I like, I can do without the core.

LAMB OF GOD's "Cheated" is a 2:34 punk/hardcore infused tune, an easy two stepper for metal/core hardcore pit veterans with a stage diver punter vibe..

LAMB OF GOD's "Insurrection" features a quality well produced combo of CLEAN and screamed, menacing vox courtesy of vocalist RANDY BLYTHE as the band segues into some instinctive well written thrash. LAMB OF GOD's "Insurrection" features a variety of rolling thrash grooves, slightly toned down for a melodic touch, good track.

LAMB OF GOD's "Terminally Unique", for starters evokes a technical guitar riff, similar to "Laid to Rest" from "Ashes of The Wake" before resorting to metal/core/emo
melodic/tech. LAMB OF GOD's "Terminally Unique" continues on with some rolling, thrash grooves and dramatic tribal drumming as RANDY BLYTHE screams "Awaken, your life is passing by".

LAMB OF GOD's "To The End" and "Visitation" extend the bands PANTERA cliches, cloning their Southern metal contemporaries grooves as the NOLA scene want their riffs back. LAMB OF GOD may pull every rehashed PANTERA/SLAYER riff out of the bag, never competing with the originality of that scene, or shredding talent of DIMEBAG DARRELL.

LAMB OF GOD close "RESOLUTION" with the bands most ambitious track to date "King Me", a consolidation of spoken word, blues, classical, opera and thrash. LAMB OF GOD's "King Me" features the operatic vocals of AMANDA MUNTON with a full orchestra. "King Me" kicks off with bluesy guitar strumming, AMANDA MUNTON's operatic vocals and RANDY BLYTHE's spoken word. As the orchestra kicks in, BLYTHE mumbles some spoken word, and BAM, LAMB OF GOD kicks in with the usual generic thrash consolidated by awkward spoken word and operatic vocals.

LAMB OF GOD's experimental track "King Me" is of the old adage "You do your thing, I'll do mine" as the tune works in parts when BLYTHE shuts his awkward spoken word mumbling.
When LAMB OF GOD unconsciously play their brand of thrash, AMANDA MUNTON's operatic vocals do compliment the band, as indeed she is talented.

LAMB OF GOD have shamelessly pulled off PANTERA, SLAYER cliches for years as if the band should be motivated by anything other than "if it aint broke don't fix it" motto. LAMB OF GOD's "Resolution" experiments with vocal variety (clean and operatic), and the usual trend hopping punk/'core and melodic elements, a nod to the bands predecessors and perhaps redefining the band for a long haul.

LAMB OF GOD's "RESOLUTION" communicates at best within the relentless straight up thrash of the first few tracks, guaranteed pit anthems as the rest of this entirely too long release is rehashed, predictable riff o'rama, NOT at all distinguishable from their metalcore/thrash peers.

LAMB OF GOD's lack of versatility make them a predictable listen as the bands last release WRATH (2009) felt like rehashed outtakes from the bands most commercially accessible release SACRAMENT (2006). The delicate balance of an established band of LAMB OF GOD's status catering to the fans versus breaking out of formula proves to be a conservative transition..
LAMB OF GOD's "Resolution", although awkward in experimentation might be a righteous concept as experimentation of blues, classical and opera genres prove to be far more natural than one might think.

If LAMB OF GOD rise past the generic aspects of the bands influences and define a new musical identity it will not come at the expense of HEAVY, the bands brutal intensity will break bones in the pit. While not redefining the thrash genre, LAMB OF GOD's RESOLUTION is a tighter, transitional balance of testing new waters, played with conviction.

LAMB OF GOD have hit pay dirt not on originality but on brutal live shows straight from the metal core pit and yes, they've "picked up (YOUR) change" in the process, as we expect RESOLUTION to debut in the top 5, a chart topper and solid release.


Check for you teeth on the floor of the pit.

ITP RATING: ****
PRODUCTION: **** 1/2
SONGWRITING: *** 1/2
PERFORMANCE: ****




Thanks-Stay Metal, Stay Brutal-\m/ -l-