It was a shame for one of 2020's biggest and most anticipated metal albums to be delayed by over a month just before it was set to be released, when fans had already waited five years since Lamb of God's last offering. Still, late is better than never, and the band's new self-titled album continues much in the vein of their last couple.
Lamb of God's success seems to have plateaued this past decade, and it isn't difficult to hear the music reflect that. Still a modern heavyweight, their career is far from over, but Lamb of God no longer possess the hunger of a young band desperately trying to crawl their way to the top of the game. There's a different attitude conveyed in their music these days, but the songwriting and performances on Lamb of God are more than solid, and with typical polished modern metal production, they still sound muscular and vigorous.
There are no bad songs on the album, but some, like opener "Memento Mori" and the crushing "New Colossal Hate" are stronger than others, and stick out as the record's highlights. Both 2012's Resolution and 2015's Sturm und Drang could've been home to any of this batch, save for the fact that Lamb of God is the first album by the band to feature drummer Art Cruz, who replaced Chris Adler in 2018 and became a permanent member last year. Cruz's drums are impressive and fit well with the tunes, though it must be said that they aren't quite as present as Adler's; there's a certain energy and feel Adler brought to the music that can't be exactly replicated.
Lamb of God is essentially what fans should expect from the band at this point. Nothing on it feels groundbreaking or cutting-edge like the band's music did in the 2000s, but then again, it's unlikely Lamb of God will ever muster up that same aggression from the comfortable place they sit now.
(Epic)Lamb of God's success seems to have plateaued this past decade, and it isn't difficult to hear the music reflect that. Still a modern heavyweight, their career is far from over, but Lamb of God no longer possess the hunger of a young band desperately trying to crawl their way to the top of the game. There's a different attitude conveyed in their music these days, but the songwriting and performances on Lamb of God are more than solid, and with typical polished modern metal production, they still sound muscular and vigorous.
There are no bad songs on the album, but some, like opener "Memento Mori" and the crushing "New Colossal Hate" are stronger than others, and stick out as the record's highlights. Both 2012's Resolution and 2015's Sturm und Drang could've been home to any of this batch, save for the fact that Lamb of God is the first album by the band to feature drummer Art Cruz, who replaced Chris Adler in 2018 and became a permanent member last year. Cruz's drums are impressive and fit well with the tunes, though it must be said that they aren't quite as present as Adler's; there's a certain energy and feel Adler brought to the music that can't be exactly replicated.
Lamb of God is essentially what fans should expect from the band at this point. Nothing on it feels groundbreaking or cutting-edge like the band's music did in the 2000s, but then again, it's unlikely Lamb of God will ever muster up that same aggression from the comfortable place they sit now.