Lamb of God wreaks havoc in ‘Sacrament’

For those who can follow the mayhem and macabre that is modern heavy metal, Lamb of God is definitely the band to check out. Their newest album “Sacrament” is a maniacal mix of brutal lyrics and chords. Each song is a violent expression of emotion and anguish in the fever that only metal can bring.

VCU students Mark Morton, Chris Adler and John Campbell started Lamb of God in 1990. Originally called “Burn the Priest,” the next decade and a half would yield big changes for not only the band itself but the Richmond music scene as a whole. Joined by Will Adler and Randy Blythe, the band went on to create nine albums with “Sacrament” being the latest.

On his Web site, Blythe recounts the completion of the latest album, saying, “The lyrics were so intense for me, when I was recording, it was like breathing pain instead of breathing air. So, when it was done, I couldn’t listen to the record for another two months. It just took so much out of me to get all this stuff out, I didn’t want to touch it right away.”

Indeed, listening to “Sacrament” takes a lot of the listener. There’s literally no breathing room. The consistency of noise and slamming instruments leaves one feeling battered and bruised. To say that it feels like the vocals are in your face is simply an understatement.

The overall message of the CD seems to be wholly wrought in anguish. It isn’t particularly optimistic or positive. The opening of the album, “Walk with Me in Hell,” is a song that paints a black picture of the present world, saying, “Hope dies in the hands of believers who seek the truth in the liar’s eyes.” The poetry of the lyrics is harsh and cruel; “Foot to the Throat” points fingers at Virginia itself, as “in this Commonwealth, there’s merely a common concern for self.” The consistent parody of religion pushes a cruel view of God in songs like in “Blacken the Cursed Sun” – “Does your god hold a place for us? Is there time to repent? Will we rise from the dead? Hell no.”

Lamb of God’s “Sacrament” is a good listen if chaos is your game, but it may be just too intense for some.