General Discussions => Entertainment => Music => Topic started by: Matthew on July 24, 2015, 04:53:52 AM Return to Full Version
Title: Lamb of God: Sturm Und Drang - Album Review
Post by: Matthew on July 24, 2015, 04:53:52 AM
Post by: Matthew on July 24, 2015, 04:53:52 AM
Lamb of God, arguably the largest (and best) heavy metal bands of the century, have returned from their 5 year break from music following the death of Daniel Noesk and the trial against Randy Blythe.
As a huge fan, I am reviewing the album on a first listen and recommending it to fellow metal heads and music lovers.
Still Echoes:
This song has been released before now, so myself and many others are quite familiar with it. The powerful first line of the track mentions the guillotine he saw at the end of a corridor when he arrived at the Czech prison in 2010 from when the Nazis occupied it.
The track has a typically heavy, thrash like sound from the intense drumming, which I tend to focus on as a drummer. The song goes from crazy, intense fast moments of the chorus to breakdowns at half the speed that force you into a headbang. I would recommend seeing them live if you can, this song would tear up any mosh pit.
Erase This:
The lyrics to this song focus on the people around Randy, specifically thosewho are negative and the negative energy around them they create. Compared to the first song, it feels more towards the typically 'heavy metal' sound compared to the fast thrash sound. The song is more of a grooving, riff-y tune, and has a groov-y, simple but incredibly effective guitar solo, but as always definitely has Lamb of God's typical sound.
512:
Another track that has been released before today. The track is an indepth look at Randy's emotional / mental experience in prison, the track name ('512') being his prison cell number. During the chorus, Randy repeats 'My hands are painted red.' referring to the guilt he feels for the death of Daniel Noesk. Of all the songs on the album, lyrically this is the one I find most interesting from the emotional vulnerability shown through the lyrics. The guitar and drums pair this well to give a dark, gloomy atmosphere to the song.
Embers:
The song starts with a haunting guitar riff before breaking into the usual thrash sound. The lyrics use the ocean as a metaphor for life and loss, overall it focuses on the loss of a family member. Feauting Chino Moreno, it gives the song a slightly different dynamic and a more mournful feel.
Footprints:
Footprints in lyrics is about carbon footprints and how people destroy the planet. It was inspired by Randy's frustration at tourists, as he was at a beach he would see tourists throw thrash from windows onto the beach.
The drums in the song are the instrument I'm drawn to, whether it's the lack of them, the blast beats, the incredible fill to the end of the song or the swaying feel it creates, this is an excellent track instrumentally.
Overlord:
Of all the tracks on the album, this one really got people talking. After 8 albums, this is the first song where Randy's vocals are clean. The song is considerably slower, and more of an acoustic song. With a heavier chorus and one hell of a breakdown, it strays from the typical Lamb of God feel but in a way I think will benefit the band - it shows that they are versatile, and that they have progressed from only playing thrash (even though they kick ass playing thrash).
Personally, I think the song is great minus the breakdown, it feels a little like a typical 'hardcore' or 'emo' style of music in the breakdown alone, but the song is still awesome.
Anthropoid:
This is another lyrically historic song, being based on Heydrich, The Butcher of Prague, who was known as the 'architect' of the Final Solution in World War II. With a chanting chorus and very heavy instrumetlas, the song fits together perfectly, and shows how Lamb of God are incredibly sound and almost one as a band.
Engage The Fear Machine:
The song starts with a slow build up then dives into Randy's screaming frustration at the media. In an interview he says how the media uses scare tactics, and how he rejects that. The media plays a huge role in not only the lives of celebrities, but it controls us. Chris Adler uses some classical drum patterns and grooves in the song, which are effective in giving it an almost official, structured and almost military feel in some parts.
Delusion Pandemic:
This song speaks on the internet and how it is the 'rise of our demise'. As the internet becomes accessible everywhere, there is a new generation of people who are getting stupider and stupider, clogged with cerebral garbage, as Randy said in an interview.
Another lyrically fascinating song, and instrumentally sound.
Torches:
The thing most noted on this song is the long, but incredible break down. It is about a Czech student in WWII who, in protest of Czechoslovakia being forced into Communism, doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire. The song was inspired by Randy visiting his grave.
The song is another good for headbanging to, another great song.
I really do recommend giving the album a listen, and listening to Lamb of God if you haven't already.
-Matt
As a huge fan, I am reviewing the album on a first listen and recommending it to fellow metal heads and music lovers.
Still Echoes:
This song has been released before now, so myself and many others are quite familiar with it. The powerful first line of the track mentions the guillotine he saw at the end of a corridor when he arrived at the Czech prison in 2010 from when the Nazis occupied it.
The track has a typically heavy, thrash like sound from the intense drumming, which I tend to focus on as a drummer. The song goes from crazy, intense fast moments of the chorus to breakdowns at half the speed that force you into a headbang. I would recommend seeing them live if you can, this song would tear up any mosh pit.
Erase This:
The lyrics to this song focus on the people around Randy, specifically thosewho are negative and the negative energy around them they create. Compared to the first song, it feels more towards the typically 'heavy metal' sound compared to the fast thrash sound. The song is more of a grooving, riff-y tune, and has a groov-y, simple but incredibly effective guitar solo, but as always definitely has Lamb of God's typical sound.
512:
Another track that has been released before today. The track is an indepth look at Randy's emotional / mental experience in prison, the track name ('512') being his prison cell number. During the chorus, Randy repeats 'My hands are painted red.' referring to the guilt he feels for the death of Daniel Noesk. Of all the songs on the album, lyrically this is the one I find most interesting from the emotional vulnerability shown through the lyrics. The guitar and drums pair this well to give a dark, gloomy atmosphere to the song.
Embers:
The song starts with a haunting guitar riff before breaking into the usual thrash sound. The lyrics use the ocean as a metaphor for life and loss, overall it focuses on the loss of a family member. Feauting Chino Moreno, it gives the song a slightly different dynamic and a more mournful feel.
Footprints:
Footprints in lyrics is about carbon footprints and how people destroy the planet. It was inspired by Randy's frustration at tourists, as he was at a beach he would see tourists throw thrash from windows onto the beach.
The drums in the song are the instrument I'm drawn to, whether it's the lack of them, the blast beats, the incredible fill to the end of the song or the swaying feel it creates, this is an excellent track instrumentally.
Overlord:
Of all the tracks on the album, this one really got people talking. After 8 albums, this is the first song where Randy's vocals are clean. The song is considerably slower, and more of an acoustic song. With a heavier chorus and one hell of a breakdown, it strays from the typical Lamb of God feel but in a way I think will benefit the band - it shows that they are versatile, and that they have progressed from only playing thrash (even though they kick ass playing thrash).
Personally, I think the song is great minus the breakdown, it feels a little like a typical 'hardcore' or 'emo' style of music in the breakdown alone, but the song is still awesome.
Anthropoid:
This is another lyrically historic song, being based on Heydrich, The Butcher of Prague, who was known as the 'architect' of the Final Solution in World War II. With a chanting chorus and very heavy instrumetlas, the song fits together perfectly, and shows how Lamb of God are incredibly sound and almost one as a band.
Engage The Fear Machine:
The song starts with a slow build up then dives into Randy's screaming frustration at the media. In an interview he says how the media uses scare tactics, and how he rejects that. The media plays a huge role in not only the lives of celebrities, but it controls us. Chris Adler uses some classical drum patterns and grooves in the song, which are effective in giving it an almost official, structured and almost military feel in some parts.
Delusion Pandemic:
This song speaks on the internet and how it is the 'rise of our demise'. As the internet becomes accessible everywhere, there is a new generation of people who are getting stupider and stupider, clogged with cerebral garbage, as Randy said in an interview.
Another lyrically fascinating song, and instrumentally sound.
Torches:
The thing most noted on this song is the long, but incredible break down. It is about a Czech student in WWII who, in protest of Czechoslovakia being forced into Communism, doused himself in gasoline and set himself on fire. The song was inspired by Randy visiting his grave.
The song is another good for headbanging to, another great song.
I really do recommend giving the album a listen, and listening to Lamb of God if you haven't already.
-Matt