Album Review - Resolution

Artist: Lamb of God (USA)

Release Date: 20^th January, 2012

Lamb of God find themselves in a difficult position with their seventh album (their sixth under their current band name).  Having pushed the boundaries of aggression until they became one of the most revered bands in extreme metal, they find themselves at a point that many popular, innovative bands find themselves in.  Their 2006 album, Sacrament, stands as a creative peak for the band.  It is, by far, the most varied and experimental record they have released, particularly with regards to Randy Blythe’s guttural vocals.  Of course, it also happens to be their commercial peak as well which meant that many “hardcore” fans were beginning to throw labels around like “sell-outs” and “gone soft”.  Bare in mind that this was in response to an album that still consisted entirely of screamed vocals, it was just the variation in those screams that had changed.  So, in response, Lamb of God released Wrath in 2009 claiming that it was a return to their heavier As The Palaces Burn (2003)/Ashes Of The Wake (2004) days.  The album did explode out of the gates with the first few tracks comparable to watching a drunken maniac charging with his fists poised to strike and his mouth foaming with rage.  While the initial blows it landed did some damage, it quickly ran out of steam, falling to its knees while swinging hopelessly through the air at a target that had long since left the building.  And the aimless swinging continues with the first half of Resolution.

Wait, I’m being way too harsh.  There is absolutely no doubt that Lamb of God is one of the best, most innovative metal bands of the last decade.  So, when I make the kind of statements I have already made, it’s because I am comparing them to their own lofty standards, not the standards held for other, run of the mill metal bands.  If Resolution were released by any other band, it would be an incredible achievement.  When I say that the first half of this album swings at its target aimlessly, it’s because the first half of the album is pretty much Lamb of God by numbers.  These are the kinds of songs they could write in their sleep and if you’ve loved everything Lamb of God have ever done, there’s no reason you won’t love what you hear here.  For me though, there are only so many variations of the same theme that someone can do before it all starts sounding the same.  Lamb of God seem to have regressed after the creative leaps they took with Ashes of the Wake and Sacrament and now seem content to keep treading over the same territory.  If you get to the point where the listener can pick exactly where each drum fill and breakdown will be, then it might be time to change things up.

This slightly stale feeling is felt most on the closing tracks of the album’s first half.  Before the acoustic intermission of Barbarosa we have The Undertow and The Number Six.  The Undertow sounds a lot like an Ashes of the Wake outtake and while that album is punishing in all the right ways, The Undertow sounds like the band is trying to recapture that sound rather than writing it and playing it because that’s how they feel now.  Likewise, The Number Six sounds like it didn’t quite make Wrath and with Wrath being their weakest album to date, that’s not saying much.  However, the band seems to recognise the redundant nature of these two songs by placing Barbarosa after these two misfires.  It’s as though, having been confused by the ineffectiveness of the old tricks, that drunken, swinging maniac has been put back into his cage to try and figure out new ways to attack its target.  Barbarosa is the sound of Lamb of God regrouping and figuring out exactly where they should go from here, and Resolution certainly is an album of two halves.

The first track of the second half, Invictus, shows our drunken maniac wobbling out of the cage a little bit, but it makes its intentions known.  Here we have our first signs that Lamb of God is trying something new.  Despite beginning with the familiar, the pre-chorus riffs are much more open that the Lamb of God chugging that we’re used to and it creates a much harsher, aggressive sound than we’ve been given so far.  This is followed up by Cheated, a two and a half minute blast of Lamb of God style hardcore.  They haven’t fully explored this side of themselves before and it’s a welcome addition to this album, furthering the idea that the second half of the album is where Lamb of God are trying out their new ideas and, for me, this is what I want to hear the band doing.  But nothing could prepare us for the opening vocals on Insurrection.  Ladies and gentlemen, here we have D. Randall Blythe singing for the first time on a Lamb of God album.  Let me write that one more time just so you know you read it correctly; Randy Blythe sings…clean, with notes and melody and everything.  Of course, it sounds evil as hell, but you wouldn’t want it any other way.  Insurrection weaves its way around creating a truly haunting experience and is, by far, the album’s highlight.  From here on out, the band continues experimenting with their sound to great effect, particularly with the closing track, King Me, which is six and a half minutes of symphonic Lamb of God who sound as though they’re ushering in the apocalypse.

So, you’re enjoyment of this album will depend entirely on the kind of Lamb of God fan that you are.  If you wanted them to keep bashing you over the head with a two by four, you’ll love the first half.  If you’re wondering where the progression in sound went after Sacrament, you’ll love the second half.  Either way, there’s something for every Lamb of God fan here.  Unfortunately, this means that the album is an inconsistent listen no matter who you are.  This is why I stated at the beginning that Lamb of God are at a very interesting point in their career.  Here they need to choose between doing what they know works, and pushing their boundaries.  If they keep trying to recapture their early aggression, they may turn out like Metallica who now sound like pale imitations of their former glorious selves.  However, Metallica have millions of fans who will follow them wherever they go.  Lamb of God don’t quite have that same luxury and may find themselves slowly falling into obscurity if they keep playing the same song.  On the other hand, if they keep pushing their boundaries, they might continue to be one of the best heavy bands in the world and continue to influence countless younger bands by encouraging them to explore the outskirts of their sound and influences.  Either way, their next album will be very interesting indeed, but in the meantime, if you’re a Lamb of God fan, go grab yourself a copy of Resolution and enjoy whichever side of Lamb of God it is that you like best.