Summary Judgment
Lamb of God's Ashes of the Wake
was an important record for me when I began the transition from a mostly mainstream metal fan to a more extreme metal fan. The band's combination of an extreme sound with accessible songwriting was just what I needed at the time. But despite my love for that album, I've paid no attention to them since. I have no idea what "Redneck" sounds like, despite that being (apparently) their best-known song.I am a different person since then. Then, I had no kids, I was still in school, I was renting, and the only really extreme metal I had came from Opeth
, Meshuggah, and Death. Now, I have three kids, am in a career, am about to buy my second house, and I'm more likely to listen to a self-released record than a Roadrunner one. So, I think it's not them, it's me. I've changed, but Lamb of God hasn't. I couldn't even get through the record, stopping it at the instrumental cut halfway through and thinking, "I don't think I can listen to this same song seven more times."Then again, maybe it's not me. When Pantera
did their groove metal thing, they had the good sense to use plenty of different tempos, rhythms, and moods. Lamb of God have one tempo, one rhythm, and one mood. And they play it over and over again. Do they actually expect anyone to listen to all 56 minutes, or is it just an iTunes buffet where you can pick what you like and leave what you don't? Now I'm scared to go back and listen to Ashes again. Will that ruin my good memories of the record, or will it hold up to scrutiny?
I issue summary judgment against Resolution.
Ashes still holds up, at least for me. I alluded to a developing frustration with this band last year some time. Their new material is pretty terrible, but their old stuff is still decent.
ReplyDeleteI listened to Pantera yesterday funnily enough and managed about 3 songs of Vulgar Display before giving up through boredom. If this is a more monotonous version, I can't say as I am tempted.
ReplyDeleteLoG rose to prominence in my years lost to metal and I don't see the attraction. I've listened a couple of tracks from Ashes and it didn't really grab me.
I used to love these guys... I wouldn't say I outgrew them, but I definitely tired of this sound and the fact that this band has put out the same album what six times in a row?
ReplyDeleteAshes still holds up and I actually liked Sacrament overall. This new one isn't grabbing me yet. These guys are all very good at what they do and could do great things if they'd just break out of the box they place themselves in. Maybe it's a record label thing?
ReplyDelete