Lamb of God

Wrath

BY Denise FalzonPublished Feb 22, 2009

One thing Lamb of God have always been able to do is be intensely heavy, and they do it well. With Wrath, the Richmond, VA "pure American metal" boys stick to their formula of heavy, chugging riffs and fast drumming, which has proven successful. The powerful riffs and fierce vocals make Wrath the natural progression from 2006's Sacrament. What makes this album different are the subtle melodies throughout, starting with acoustic intro "The Passing." But with the second track we're back to classic Lamb of God, as "In Your Words" hits like a ton of bricks. Wrath illustrates how much Lamb of God have grown, demonstrated by the use of a variety of guitar structures and different vocal ranges. "Fake Messiah" introduces a more technical and sludgy side, with Willie Adler and Mark Morton's dual guitar whiplash, while "Everything To Nothing" showcases Randy Blythe's aggressive and vicious vocals, making this track his best performance on the album. The lyrical themes are on par with the usual LoG subject matter: the convoluted American Dream, corrupt government and 9/11. "Choke Sermon" is by far the heaviest track, with incredible guitar work, as well as rapid double-bass drumming from the astoundingly talented Chris Adler. This track also proves Lamb of God are carrying on right where Pantera left off, with a Southern groove-inspired style of modern American metal. Wrath ends with "Reclamation," an ominous portent of impending doom, concluding an album of heavy and unrelenting head-banging tracks and guaranteed crowd-pleasers.
(Epic)

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