LAMB OF GOD is set to put out the band’s first release in five years and the first to feature new drummer Art Cruz. The self-titled Lamb Of God is due out June 19 via Epic Records.
The Richmond, Virginia, quintet propelled heavy metal into the new millennium two decades ago with the prophetically titled New American Gospel. They followed with 2003’s As the Palaces Burn, which made the Rolling Stone list of the Top 100 Greatest Metal Albums of All Time. Ashes of the Wake, released in 2004, was the first LAMB OF GOLD album to be certified gold by the RIAA, as was 2006’s Sacrament,which also made a Top 10 Billboard 200 chart debut. In 2009, LAMB OF GOD released Wrath, their first with Wilbur at producer, and earned the number one album spot on Billboard’s Hard Rock, Rock, and Tastemaker charts, with a number two position on the Billboard 200.
Those number one positions were repeated with 2012’s Resolution, which swung effortlessly between thrash, traditional metal, sludgy doom, with flashes of crust punk swagger and bravado. LAMB OF GOD’s last album, VII: Sturm und Drang (2015) made its debut on the Billboard 200 at number three and finished number 2 in the world charts, reaching Top 5 in five countries and six addition Top 15 positions.
In 2020, LAMB OF GOD is re-energized and unrelenting, ready to lay claim to the metal throne.
The fact that the band’s eighth studio effort would warrant ‘self-titled’ status is a testament to the band’s pride and satisfaction with these songs and this period in their creativity.
This record is slap you in the face with a solid wave of Heavy Metal. The album has a incredible pace, and is a solid listen from front to back. This heavy record opens with “Memento Mori” and “Checkmate” that have already been released. These tracks set the tone for how this record is going to be.
Randall “Randy” Blythe sounds angrier than I have ever heard him, and the way the riffs tear through the entire record give me a huge adrenaline rush.
A couple other stand out tracks to me were “Gears” that had a very chest pounding energy through the entire song. “BloodShot Eyes” is my favorite track off the record, it has some really hypnotic low parts, and then smacks you in the face with a super heavy chorus.
“New Colossal Hate” has this really sick intro that leads into what Lamb of God does best, crushing you in the face with a heavy fit of rage.
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 are a great fit with the band.
Overall if you like music you can blast and drive way too fast with the windows down, this record is perfect for your summer playlist. This tears shit up!
Be sure to check Lamb of God’s self titled record when it drops tomorrow 06/19/2020