Even as a staunch supporter of Richmond’s metal titans Lamb of God, their last album Wrath simply didn’t compare to their previous releases. The aggression was there in spades; it just sounded more like a b-sides collection to Sacrament than anything else. The band had found themselves at a huge crossroads in their career – fade into obscurity like countless other New Wave of American Metal bands, or continue to remind all other metal bands why they’ve been one of the most successful acts in the genre’s recent history. With Resolution, Lamb of God is undoubtedly back. The album is dripping with groove, unrelenting drums, and one of the most confident-sounding albums in the band’s career.
Right off the bat, the band instantly obliterates any and all riffs from their past album. “Straight for the Sun” shows the band delving into sludgier territory, resulting in the heaviest riff since 2003’s “Vigil”. Entering soon after this is vocalist/current presidential candidate Randy Blythe, showing that his vocal cords have only toughened with age. Blythe’s vocals are even more guttural than before, while still being one of the more understandable screamers in metal today. You’ll also get a few “sung” choruses in songs like “The Number Six”, harkening back to Pantera’s Phil Anselmo.
From a musical standpoint, Resolution is a mosher’s wet dream; crossover-thrash riffs intertwine with ripping guitar solos and the band’s token half-time groove. It’s a formula the band has long used to great success, and while this may seem to raise some eyebrows from the skeptics, fear not! Lamb of God aren’t just repeating themselves, but rather expanding on a sound that is now undeniably theirs. “The Undertow” showcases one of Mark Morton’s best guitar solos to date. “King Me”, the band’s longest song to date, shows the band delving into …And Justice For All-esque prog-metal while also being backed by an orchestra. Songs like “Invictus” and “Terminally Unique” even experiment with a mathier approach in the song’s chorus, courtesy of Chris Adler’s absolutely dominating drum performance. While these newer elements may not please die-hard fans of the band just looking for a reason to hop into another circle pit, there’s still loads of that (“Cheated” is a mosher’s delight). The band’s first single for the album, “Ghost Walking” is everything fans have come to expect from Lamb of God. Hell, even the opening riff does sound quite a bit like “Redneck”.
One of the best qualities about Resolution is its sense of balance. Lamb of God knows what their fans expect from them, but still continue to push the envelope and not fall into homogeny like the Shadows Falls and Killswitch Engages of the world. In a new age of metal flooded with groove-junkies and djent-clones, Lamb of God show they can get as technical as the rest of them, but make a song that will get stuck in your head on the first listen alone. Resolution has renewed my love for this band, and should please any old fans as well. The first awesome metal album of 2012!
Rating – 8.5/10
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Lamb of God has forged a career that has had them labeled as one of the premier acts in American metal, and they have backed it up ever since they trampled into the mainstream’s sights with 2004’s “Ashes Of The Wake.” Every album since then has had to live up to the benchmark set with “Ashes Of The Wake,” and “Resolution” is no different. The band’s sixth record has them going back to a rawer production after the mixed reaction to “Wrath,” while juggling their old, groove metal sound with a couple of interesting diversions. “Resolution” is almost exactly what any Lamb of God fan would expect at this point; whether that’s a bright spot or a criticism depends on one’s opinion of the band’s catalog.
After over a decade of constant performing and writing, Lamb of God’s ruggish groove metal is like second nature. So it’s not a surprise that a majority of the tunes on “Resolution” are well-rounded. “Desolation” is destined to be the band’s new live anthem, with its shouty chorus having the capacity to translate to a crowd of beer-swilling, rowdy metal heads. “Guilty” smacks the listener in the ears with a lead pipe of dissonance, and the band makes sure not to temper their rage for a moment of brevity.
“Resolution” is another chapter in the evolution of the band as musicians. Every album since “New American Gospel” has seen some level of improvement, whether in the riffs or vocally. Guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler continue to work on handing out tight harmonies and an influx of guitar solos. The rhythm is still integral to the cataclysm of noise, especially the precision assault doled out by drummer Chris Adler. Randy Blythe’s vocals are feeling the effects from years of screaming, though his piercing tones find a way to rip on the government and human fallacies with force.
As songwriters, the bands finds the most worth in pulling back from the easily obtainable groove metal and challenging their formula. “Straight For The Sun” takes a page out of the sludge/doom genre. It’s compelling and one of the heaviest songs the band has done to date. The ambitious “King Me” dabbles with orchestration and operatic female vocals, while having an epic presence missing from songs like “Reclamation” and “Beating On Death’s Door.”
It’s reassuring to hear Lamb of God not satisfied with belting out 10 or 11 version of “Laid To Rest” every album, but the band holds back on “Resolution.” Every time the band tries something new, like “Straight For The Sun,” they revert to their groove metal haven. Having one song with a molasses-like tempo that could build to a fresh dynamic, and then not following up on it for the remainder of the album, is disappointing. The presence of 14 songs - the most on any Lamb of God album so far - is also a drag on the album’s pace, especially once it heads to the hour mark.
For Lamb of God, “Resolution” marks a turnaround from the underwhelming “Wrath.” It’s crushing metal by five guys who have been tolling it out since 1999. Experimentation has never been a rousing feature before, but the instances they are used (acoustic intro on “Ghost Walking,” the aforementioned “Straight For The Sun” and “King Me”) turn out to be the most memorable songs. “Resolution” will make the fans happy, and leave the detractors pissed off as usual.
Highs: Groove metal sound still hits hard, a few twists to the standard formula, another strong performance by guitarists Mark Morton and Willie Adler
Lows: Drags on the last few songs, seems like the band holds back from stepping into new territory, Randy Blythe attempts to sing on "Insurrection"
Bottom line: An improvement over the uneven "Wrath," though it's more of the same from Lamb of God.
Rating – 8.5/10
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Lamb of God was one of the first metal bands I truly loved. As The Palaces Burn and Ashes of the Wake blended aggressive riffs, furious lyrics, and enviable musicianship in a way few bands could match. Even though their subsequent albums seemed to pale a bit in comparison, I still found certain tracks and moments to thoroughly enjoy. My appreciation for this band is massive, which is what makes Resolution disappointing to me. It’s more of the same in a lot of ways, and the risks that are taken don’t fully live up to their potential. While it’s not a huge step down from their last record, the pitfalls from Wrath seem to be exacerbated throughout Resolution instead of being, well, resolved. Resolution does not live up to its name, and at its worst, it plods through mostly uninspired riffs, formulaic lyrics (the worst of any Lamb of God album, hands down), and predictable structures. At best, Resolution does not stray far from the beaten path established over the band’s tenure, and there’s enough hostility and energy to keep die-hard fans occupied.
There are redeeming aspects to take into account, but they are not enough to completely save this album. While it’s less glossy and commercial than Sacrament, it falls short in comparison to the rest of the band’s discography in almost every aspect. It’s Lamb of God, after all, so they’re still trying to sound like Pantera, but when they push the tempo of certain tracks, there are flickers of sonic evolution. Unfortunately, Chris Adler’s drumming has become unbelievably predictable, and while he will always be one of my absolute favorite drummers, I miss the innovation and groove that used to be at the forefront of his playing. It’s partially the production; the drums almost sound programmed, and the snare is buried in the mix while the China cymbal drowns out lower frequencies. I won’t say that I’ve “outgrown” Lamb of God by any means, but my connection to their music was created through their older material, and the newer content has failed to resonate as deeply. Resolution represents the pinnacle of this realization, as much as it pains me to admit.
The album begins with a sludgy and powerful riff (“Straight for the Sun”), supercharged by one of Randy Blythe’s signature screams. It’s a hell of an opening, and the vocals are superbly visceral, grabbing the listener by the throat. Then there’s a somewhat awkward drum solo of sorts, leading into “Desolation”. One of the better tracks of the album (but containing some of the worst lyrics of any LoG song ever), it features a very standard Lamb of God feel without sounding too stale. The guitar tone on the record is phenomenal, and Mark Morton and Willie Adler demonstrate their incredible chemistry and ability time and time again.
Resolution continues fairly unsurprisingly, before the band completely rips itself off with “The Undertow”. It’s a mixture of every signature trick in the LoG book, and while it goes down smoothly enough, it’s laughably unoriginal. Next up is the appropriately titled “The Number Six” (guess which track it is?), which features some of the only audible bass on the record, as well as the irritating repetition of the painful line, “You’ve dug your own grave”. There’s much better range in the dynamics on this track, although the transitions between quiet spoken-word interludes and thundering walls of sound are somewhat awkward.
The rest of Resolution neither compels nor alienates, sticking to typical arrangements one would expect from the band. “Terminally Unique” doesn’t exactly live up to its name, but it’s damn heavy and the guitar work is exceptional. “To The End” contains a thrashy and upbeat riff with some fun pinch harmonics, and it provides a change of mood without sacrificing the immensity of sound that Lamb of God is always striving for. The closing track, “King Me” is a unique piece of work, but their bizarre foray into symphonic metal is a creative risk that does not come to fruition. The string patches sound like they crawled forth from the depths of MIDI hell, and they distract from the harmonic structure rather than improving it. I fully believe that if better sounds had been used, I would be a much bigger fan of this track. As it stands, they screech and strain against the guitars, causing uncomfortable dissonance. Even though it doesn’t quite deliver, I appreciate Lamb of God for pushing against its own conventions, and perhaps future experiments will yield more positive results.
So, this isn’t Lamb of God’s best work. Not by a long shot. But it’s not a travesty, either. Despite exploiting their own blueprints in an attempt to expand their empire, there’s still a part of me that believes Lamb of God isn’t down for the count. Resolution may cost them a few fans, but it is not nearly as polarizing as recent releases from bands like Opeth and Mastodon. Maybe that’s part of the problem: If Lamb of God takes larger risks, perhaps they’ll be able to reap greater rewards. Listeners have loyally fed off the band’s formula for the past decade, and the taste is getting stale. Here’s hoping that their next album will take full advantage of the band’s talent and fortitude, without abusing their brand.
Rating : 6,5/10
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