LAMB OF GOD
WRATH
2009
REVIEW BY OLA
Lamb of
God- Wrath
Released February
24th, 2009
Epic/Roadrunner
Records
Virginia’s Lamb of God: unmistakably American,
unmistakably metal. I must say that this band in particular has affected my life
in a large way. The very first real metal show I ever attended was Lamb of God
at the Kool Haus, in Toronto. That night I truly realized that this culture was
fit for me in so many different ways. I could feel the energy, passion, power
and excitement in the air. The venue itself was teeming with heavy metal
vivacity as the band played a fantastic set. But out of Lamb of God’s five
previous albums, their latest is unlike any other.
Wrath is truly a gem. Currently topping
the charts at number one at HMV, it is now a must have. Elements of thrash metal
are definitely present, and the guitar tones are clean, but heavy as always.
Chris Adler’s signature drumming style never cease to give the music that extra
aggressive feel and Randy Blythe’s cherished guttural vocals never fail to
express lyrics all of us can relate to.
The album introduces
us with ‘The Passing”, a gentle guitar-driven piece, reminiscent of Metallica’s
“To Live Is To Die”. Following the intro, we dive into “In Your Words” heavy
riffs. This is where we come to understand how exceptional the rest of the album
will be. “Set To Fail” is next, directing us to start moshing, and the chorus is
sure to be chanted by the crowd at live performances. Another fast paced track,
“Contractor”, ensures whiplash for all with its blistering tempo.
As we move towards
the album mid-point, we experience “Fake Messiah” and “Grace”, a track that
begins with guitar work that is distinguished and genuine lyrics that are
carried throughout. On “Broken Hands”, Randy launches the song, spewing the
lyrics “Bled of all you had to lose!” in his most memorable vocal
style.
One track comparable
to the sound on Lamb of God's 2006 release, Sacrament, is “Dead Seeds” consisting of
a strong groove. “Everything to Nothing”
and “Choke Sermon” primarily sum up the overall feel of Wrath before the album comes to an
end.
The final track
arrives to bring us satisfying, honest closure. “Reclamation” commences with
sounds of what seem to be crashing waves, and gritty acoustic guitar before the
song erupts into powerful emotion and strength, both in musicality and
lyrics.
To a large extent,
it is proven that Lamb of God have outdone themselves on Wrath. It seems that all aspects of
their music and presentation continuously improve on each album they release.
Lamb of God have become an international metal sensation in the worldwide metal
community and that is simply because they know how to write fantastic music and
relevant lyrics that in the end, always go out to the fans.
Rating: 9/10
