Album Review: Lamb Of God- Lamb Of God

Lamb Of God - Official Site

Lamb Of God have been at this for over two decades now and have solidified their place in the heavy music community. Throughout their time, they’ve released two albums that have become classics in the metal world (As The Palaces Burn and Ashes Of The Wake). Now, in 2020, Lamb Of God have released a new album with a renewed sense of energy that hasn’t been heard from them in a long while. That’s not to say that this sounds like a different band, it’s still Lamb through and through. Longtime drummer Chris Adler is no longer in the fold and has been replaced with the very accomplished Art Cruz (formerly of Winds Of Plague and Prong).

This album definitely seems to pick up where their previous one, VII Sturm Und Drang left off. There’s plenty of intricate parts, thrashy elements and metal to go around as well as a new groove that seems to have energized all the members to pick it up a bit more. Album opener “Memento Mori” has some very cool vibes that show that this is more than just a run of the mill song. The clean vocals from Randy Blythe actually fit in really well on this track. “Checkmate” lyrically is hard charging but, musically it does sound a bit familiar. “Gears” offers a bit more of that new groove I mentioned. I have a feeling this song live would be crowd favorite. My favorite song on the new album is “Reality Bath.” This one shows off a lot of diversity in what this band can do. The arrangement on this song along with “that groove” makes this one a stand out. “New Colossal Hate” is straight up Lamb Of God. This song needs to be added to their set list. It definitely has a bit of an Ashes vibe to it as well. “Resurrection Man” is a pretty fun song in that it has a bit of a Pantera-ish vibe mixed with a bit a sort of prog element too. This would be an interesting one to hear live. “Poison Dream” features Hatebreed frontman Jamey Jasta. This song is another very Lamb sounding song. Jamey’s vocals do tend to get lost in the shuffle on this track. It would have been cooler if there was a badass breakdown and he was unleashed. “Routes” is a very introspective song lyrically about Randy’s time spent protesting at the Dakota Access Pipeline. Testament’s Chuck Billy guests on this track in a passionate way. “Bloodshot Eyes” is a song that musically could have fit very easily on guitarist Mark Morton’s solo album. The inclusion of mostly clean vocals on this one is sure to separate some fans but, it’s definitely a welcome change. “Off The Hook” closes out the album and this one is pretty hard charging.

This album is Lamb Of God doing what they do. It’s not reinventing the wheel. It does have a bit of a different vibe since Chris Adler is no longer involved but, it was needed change. Art Cruz, like I mentioned before, has brought a new energy and groove to the band. That groove he learned from playing in Prong, definitely shows through. Mark Morton and Willie Adler have really become quite the guitar duo over the years and on this album it really comes to light a bit more. John Campbell is a seriously underrated bass player. His style along with Art’s are super in sync and it allows for the right amount of breath to be let out on these songs. Randy Blythe’s vocals have really taken shape in interesting ways. He’s still ferocious and gritty but, being able to expand upon the dynamics of the songs with clean parts give these songs something more than just a run of the mill vibe. Overall, this album is solid and a great place to start anew. I can definitely see a few of these songs becoming live staples for a good amount of time. Also, I can really see Art Cruz finding his own place in this band and helping to push the boundaries of what this band can do.

Rating: 8/10

Lamb Of God- Lamb Of God:

 

 

 

 

Collaborations: DJ Shadow and Run The Jewels- Nobody Speak

Watch Run The Jewels & DJ Shadow Do “Nobody Speak” On The Tonight ...

A couple years back, the legendary DJ Shadow released his first new album in quite a few years entitled, The Mountain Will Fall. This album was a very welcome back for him and a lot of fans, like myself. One of the highlights on the album was that Run The Jewels was a guest on the track “Nobody Speak.” This song, the moment it was released, became an instant hit with pretty much everyone that heard it. The video too is something quite awesome. DJ Shadow has been known to do some great collaborations over the years working with people like Run The Jewels, Zach De La Rocha, UNKLE and many more. This one I think is my all time favorite of his collabs though. Enjoy!

DJ Shadow and Run The Jewels- Nobody Speak:

 

Soundtrack Only Songs: Nine Inch Nails- Deep from Tomb Raider

Nine Inch Nails – Deep Lyrics | Genius Lyrics

Back in 2001, the first Lara Croft Tomb Raider movie with Angelina Jolie came out. There was a lot of hype about the movie and it was pretty meh. The one thing that I really enjoyed about this movie was the soundtrack, in particular, the song “Deep” by Nine Inch Nails. The song has some interesting history. It’s been argued that this was written specifically for the soundtrack while others say it was written during The Fragile era. I tend to agree with the latter. There’s even some speculation that “Deep” has some tie ins with the song “Even Deeper.” The video for the song is quite cool and interesting. The story in the video is told in reverse, with the end of the story beginning the video. Anyways, when you are a big Nine Inch Nails fan like myself, you tend to get excited anytime you hear a NIN song in a movie or trailer. This song is a pretty cool jam and deserves some more attention, so enjoy it!

Nine Inch Nails- Deep:

 

 

Anticipated Albums: En Minor- When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out

Philip H. Anselmo is quite a talented guy. Throughout the years whether it’s been Pantera, Down, Superjoint, Scour, etc it goes to show how versatile he is as a vocalist and lyricist, not to mention frontman. Last year, we got the first taste of a band he’s talked about for years, En Minor. The two songs released were quite stunning and a complete left turn from anything you’ve ever heard from Philip before. Now, the full length, When The Cold Truth Has Worn Its Miserable Welcome Out, is finally coming out September 4th. The first single “Blue” is absolutely beautiful and haunting. This track features the full arsenal of all the members involved with En Minor and it shows the versatility of all the players. Personally, I really look forward to this album. I also hope when the world gets back to some sort of normalcy, En Minor will get to tour and show off how good these songs are.

En Minor- Blue:

 

 

Pre-Order the album HERE or HERE

Album Anniversary: Fear Factory- Demanufacture

FEAR FACTORY - Demanufacture CD

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of Fear Factory’s album Demanufacture is, Game Changer. At the time of it’s release, Demanufacture was unlike anything coming out. The concept about a man’s struggles against a machine-controlled government, with each song a chapter in his life, is quite a weighty bit of subject matter. Looking back on that idea 25 years later, it’s definitely quite interesting to see how things in today’s society have played out. On top of that, there are so many elements about this album that have gone on to influence and inspire countless bands throughout the years. Everything from guitar tones, drum sounds, vocals, lyrical imagery and use of electronics are found in so many of the bands you love today.

The moment this album starts, you can already tell that this is going to hit you like a ton of bricks. The opening riff alone is devastating along with the pulse of the drums and bass. Throughout the album too, there is no escaping the sheer magnitude the guitars and drums put out. Then before you know it, the vocals kick in and the whole thing comes together and leaves you in a bit of shock and awe. I could go song by song but, that won’t do this album the justice it deserves. Because it’s a concept album, it’s best to take it all in and let it all brew in your mind. that being said though, I do have my favorites on this album like, “Demanufacture,” Self Bias Resistor,” “Zero Signal,” “Replica,” “Hunter-Killer,” and “Pisschrist.” I will never forget seeing Fear Factory live in 1999 and the moment they started playing songs off this album, the crowd went completely nuts. It’s definitely worth mentioning too, these songs are absolute classics in the metal community. Even if you are at a show and in between bands one of the songs from this album comes on, people in the audience tend to get pretty damn excited.

 
Demanufacture is and will always be regarded as a metal classic. As I mentioned in the beginning of this piece, so much of this band and this album is found in so many bands you love today. One thing in particular is the vocal style. Burton C. Bell’s harsh vocals into clean vocals were pretty much unheard of at the time and now it’s a staple in metal. The style, speed and technicality of guitarist Dino Cazares, drummer Raymond Herrera and bassist Christian Olde Wolbers are often replicated but it’s not quite the same.

It’s a shame that this band is going through so much legal turmoil over the last few years. If this era’s lineup were to reunite, it would be quite awesome. And hopefully they could work on new music together and get back to what Fear Factory is all about. At least we as fans have these albums and if you were lucky to see them live back in the day, have the memory of how good they were. Well, here’s to the day that perhaps we can see that again.

 
Fear Factory- Demanufacture:

Band Of The Week: Quiet Violence

No photo description available.

The artistic expression that music can convey is often times astounding. The thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc that run rampant have a direct impact on the lasting impact of what you just heard. The bands that stray from the formula and strive for a true artistic approach are the ones that tend to leave more of an impact, especially in the times we live in where there is so much out there to discover. Which brings me to the band of the week, Quiet Violence. Comprised of Michael Calvaresi and Sean Mcguire, Quiet Violence has a very interesting and distinct approach to their music. While there are some similarities towards bands that have influenced and inspired them, there is definitely something more to them. Lyrically, it’s deep and thought provoking. Musically it sets quite a mood. Take a song like “Coincidence or Miracle” or “Unsung” both have many different styles and approaches but, the end result is something that will stay with you.  The ability to create something meaningful, even if it’s just for yourself, is something that truly gets overlooked but, that’s what makes Quiet Violence interesting. Their new album Video Game Killed The Rockstar is full of so many different things and sounds that will have you coming back to listen again to pick up on things you missed. This album will definitely take you and your mind places. I really commend these two guys for putting out something different and challenging. It’s a nice breath of air.

 

Quiet Violence- Video Game Killed The Rockstar:

Memorable Live Shows: Nine Inch Nails at Woodstock 94

A Look Back at Nine Inch Nails' Career-Defining Woodstock '94 ...

Since there is a plethora of live performances all over the internet, why not start featuring some of the most memorable ones. And what better place to start than with the now legendary performance Nine Inch Nails put on at Woodstock 94. The story of this one is absolutely nuts. One that you should really look into. Their “mud soaked” set is infamous and so damn good. The setlist is truly something awesome as well. It’s one of those shows that I can watch and listen to all the time.

 

Nine Inch Nails- Woodstock 94:

 

Secret Songs: Staind- Excess Baggage

Excess Baggage | Staind/Aaron Lewis

This category is quite fun to do. Going back to certain albums and remembering the secret songs, is always interesting. I miss the days when you’d buy an album and discover there was something hidden at the end. I don’t know how or why but, the other day I remembered that at the end of the Staind album Dysfunction there was a hidden track. The song is just Aaron Lewis and an acoustic guitar. Anyways here’s “Excess Baggage.”

Staind- Excess Baggage:

 

 

Those 90’s Songs: Third Eye Blind- How’s It Going To Be

How's It Going to Be - YouTube

Sometimes I truly wonder how certain songs pop in my head. Out of the clear blue a part of a song just appears in my mind and from that point, it’s on. Yesterday while working from home, the song “How’s It Going To Be” by Third Eye Blind just suddenly happened to come through. It’s strange. I wasn’t listening to anything in that realm either but, it was a nice change of pace.  After the song popped in my head, I went back and listened to their debut album. I forgot how many good songs are on that one and that’s not just the singles. The album still holds up to this day.

 

Third Eye Blind- How’s It Going To Be:

 

Album Review: O’Brother- You and I

Seeing as we are living in uncertain times and the world is on the verge of burning, there is a need for a sense of hope and comfort. Music has always had the ability to evoke feelings that can “save the world.” I truly believe that statement. More often than not, an album is released that strikes a chord with people that gives them just that feeling. Very recently, O’Brother released their new album You and I and it is truly a remarkable album. They have always been a band to evolve and bring something new to the table with each release and on this one, they most certainly have. You and I is a very deep album chock full of all the things you’ve grown to love about this band and then some. The elements of Rock, Post Hardcore, Shoegaze, Trip-Hop, Post Rock are all there but, this time, they brought a more etherial sense to their writing. It’s a very haunting and eerie album but not in the dark and dreary sense. Instead there is a hope to these songs that is uplifting and gets under your skin in a tingling way.

The way the album flows from the moment it opens to the closing song is surreal. It’s a true journey of an album. The way albums should be. They’ve always had a knack for that but, on this one they have truly mastered it. Most of the time when I review an album, I tend to go track by track or name a few stand out songs but, on this one, I can’t do that. If I were to do so, I’d be taking away from the feeling one would get listening to this album. I would feel like I cheated you out of how great this album is. So please, take the time to listen to this and let it all soak in.

O’Brother is a band that since their debut has left me in a sort of awe. I remember seeing them open for Thrice many years ago and their show that night left a mark in my mind. Fast forward a few years to when they were the direct support for The Dillinger Escape Plan’s final tour, as well as releasing one of my favorite albums, Endless Light, it was solidified that this band was beyond something special. I have to say too that it’s criminal that O’Brother isn’t a huge band. By all accounts they should be. The artistry, songs, musicianship, live show, etc is all there. I highly recommend you taking some extra time and listen to all their albums. You’ll definitely understand why I think they are great.

Overall Rating: A

O’Brother- You and I: