Artist: Lamb of God
Title: Resolution
Genre: Heavy Metal
Release Date: 20th January 2012
Label: Roadrunner Records
Album Review
LAMB OF GOD is one of the bands that are so well-known that to indulge in a lengthy introduction would patronise the listener so I will cut right down to the chase. In ‘Resolution’, LAMB OF GOD’s seventh studio album, they have decided to polish the momentum they’ve been building up with their previous two albums. It is something that doesn’t have much to do with creativity per se but with exploitation of audiences’ expectations; a situation which they push out systematically. If you consider only the riffs and the feeling of the album, it is a good album indeed. Yet, by in-depth comparison with all their previous works you’ll find yourself staring at a typical confab of the band with itself, a sale orientated improvisation on bits and bobs of the past, and the typical grassroots ideology in their lyrics which is unfit even for the elementary schools. The true strength of the band is still its live gigs where things do not matter as much as the transfusion of the energy from the scene to the audience. And from that point of view the whole album is nothing more than preaching to the converted, that is their fans.
As for the songs to be found here, ‘Straight For The Sun’ is Doom metal paced track and ‘Desolation’ moves to the familiar waters of their past. ‘The Number Six’ - a title taken from the TV series ‘The Prisoner’ - makes the typical confrontation with the establishment and shows the band’s impoverishment from the realm of ideas. Typical lyrics, and as usual an all out declaration of war combined with an expected aggressiveness in terms of music and a superbly done fast tempo. On the other hand ‘Barbarossa’ comes out as a girl selling lilies in its soft, melodramatic approach of an opener for ‘Invictus’ which pretty much is the same girl transformed into a werewolf. ‘Cheated’ carries something from lame Punk in terms of lyrics - the kind of “one, two, one, two, fuck you” - suitable only for jumping into the pit rather ecstatically, while ‘King Me’ moves into schizophrenic modes between Symphonic Metal and the American New Wave Heavy Metal adding Blythe’s breathing in the last seconds of the song.
In other words, this album is a letdown regarding originality or innovativeness, and though the band presents itself as out there and outspoken what they have to say is stale and old news. Their orientation to sell as many albums as they can may reward them with dollars and sponsored tailor-made opinions, but in real terms they’re reaping nothing. Or to put it even more bluntly, don’t stare at it with open mouth, a fly might enter.
Tracklist
01. Straight For The Sun
02. Desolation
03. Ghost Walking
04. Guilty
05. The Undertow
06. The Number Six
07. Barbarossa
08. Invictus
09. Cheated
10. Insurrection
11. Terminally Unique
12. To The End
13. Visitation
14. King Me
Line-up
Randy Blythe – Vocals
Mark Morton – Guitar
Will Adler – Guitar
John Campbell – Bass
Chris Adler – Drums
Websites
https://www.facebook.com/lambofgod / http://www.lamb-of-god.com
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 6
Sound: 9
Total: 7.5 / 10
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