Sacrament by Lamb Of God
January 30, 2007 by Jo Minor
Post-thrash band Lamb of God is probably one of the worthy successors to the Thrash Metal throne after Progressive Thrash outfit Nevermore takes the crown from an aging Slayer, and with Sacrament they prove that the claim isn’t unfounded by any means.
The album kicks into full gear immediately with opening track Walk With Me In Hell, with drummer Chris Adler paving the road to total annihilation with his clear-cut drum beats. The guitar riffs and vocals in this song are outstanding as well, making this the best song of the album, and the song ends just as spectacularly as it begins.
Again We Rise is the track after the opener, and is an energetic offering. Once again, drummer Adler executes his trademark drum work and lays the foundation of the song. Vocalist Randy Blythe’s percussive barks spell out the words with aplomb while the interesting main riff of the song plays repeatedly in the background, creating a powerful presence much in the vein of early Pantera. Again We Rise is topped off with a short albeit catchy guitar solo.
Redneck is the third song in the album and is chosen as the first single from Sacrament. A strangely entertaining music video accompanied this song as well, and depicts the band performing at a kid’s birthday party. It’s great to see the band’s roadies treat those party clowns the way they should be dealt with - with force and violence! Video aside, Redneck is a gripping song, and vocalist Randy Blythe’s performance in this once is faintly reflective of ex-Pantera vocalist Phil Anselmo’s singing in the song 5 Minutes Alone. The change of tempo in Redneck after the 2:00 mark is a tasteful departure from the otherwise straightforward tempo of the song.
All the other 8 tracks in this 11-track behemoth sound like they have been constructed from a formula used for all the songs in the album - especially in terms of tempo and song arrangement - but there are a few pleasant surprises hidden in this album. For example, check out the blink-or-you’ll-miss blast beat at the 0:20 mark of Foot To The Throat.
Sacrament is great effort from Lamb of God, and is probably the band’s best CD thus far. Good, but not good enough to outperform the other American Thrash Metal bands still plying their trade today such as Slayer, Nevermore and Exodus - but is a reminder of what Lamb of God might be in the near future.
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