Artist : Lamb of God
Album : VII: Sturm und Drang (2015 Epic/Nuclear Blast)
Tracks : 10
Artist website : http://www.lamb-of-god.com
OVERVIEW :
Lamb of God are one of my favorite metal bands. Not a day goes by without a bit of LoG in my day. Usually in the morning to help get me going.
VII: Sturm und Drang is the seventh studio album from the group. It follows a period of uncertainty and drama while singer, Randy Blythe, was facing charges of manslaughter in the Czech Republic.
This album sends a very clear message to fans – they are back and their ability to produce their brand of metal is unshaken even by the events preceding the album. I believe this album might even be a little bit “heavier” than their landmark album “As The Palaces Burn”. There has been growth in the band’s sound and what they are doing musically now when compared to their previous efforts. There is even a freshness to the album that is almost akin to the rawness of a debut record. The execution and production is stellar and that is where the “polish” comes from to balance the rawness.
I found this album to be extremely enjoyable. It provides a hefty dose of what these guys do best and will definitely leave any fan of this style of metal grinning from ear to ear.
HIGHLIGHTS :
Erase This, Embers, Overlord
FIRST IMPRESSIONS – PLAY BY PLAY :
Track 1 – Still Echoes
What a great album opener!
Track 2 – Erase This
Fantastic song! I love how big the chorus on this song is! Powerful! Probably my favorite song on VII.
Track 3 – 512
Fantastic again. This one grooves very nicely. The title of the song comes from the cell that Blythe lived in while in jail during the trial in the Czech Republic.
Track 4 – Embers
Heavy! This track features Chino Moreno of the Deftones. Loved this track!
Track 5 – Footprints
Even heavier than Embers! Incredible energy!
Track 6 – Overlord
Wait … is that … singing … on a LoG song … checking credits … oh $*1* … NO – Randy Blythe sings!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!? HOLY (blank) !!!!!!!!! This was unexpected and he does a great job of it! Way to go Randy!
And then it just explodes!!!!!!!!!!!!! This band knows how to bring it!
Track 7 – Anthropoid
No intro – just drop the listener straight in to the fury! Nice! … and what energy!
Track 8 – Engage The Fear Machine
This has that trademark LoG thing to it. Not that the other tracks don’t, but this one would be right at home on any of the previous LoG releases. I feel like everything before this song on this album is breaking new ground musically.
It is a good track. It is also placed well to remind the listener that this is LoG.
Track 9 – Delusion Pandemic
Where did this come from!?! Brutal! Heavy! Nothing to dislike here. Two thumbs up!
Was that rapping in the middle? Unexpected, but cool.
Track 10 – Torches
This song features Greg Puciato. It has a very ambient thing going on. The clean guitar riff kind of reminds me of Dream Theater’s “Peruvian Skies” thing. The one thing one can always count on these guys to do is to bust out a really heavy thing after some quiet ambient stuff. Good track.