Lamb Of God - Sacrament
2006 Epic

Track Listing:
1.  Walk With Me In Hell
2.  Again We Rise
3.  Redneck
4.  Pathetic
5.  Foot To The Throat
6.  Descending
7.  Blacken The Cursed Sun
8.  Forgotten (Lost Angels)
9.  Requiem
10. More Time To Kill
11. Beating On Death's Door 

Line-Up:
Vocals:  Randy Blythe
Guitars:  Mark Morton, Will Adler
Bass:  John Campbell
Drums:  Chris Adler

Website:  www.lamb-of-god.com

Horatio's Rating:  A
Overall Rating:  A

Also be sure to read:
Lamb Of God - As The Palaces Burn by Skin Splitter
Lamb Of God - Ashes Of The Wake by Skin Splitter
Lamb Of God - New American Gospel by Skin Splitter
Burn The Priest - Burn The Priest by Skin Splitter

Horatio's Review:
While pondering that 'Sacrament' had reached number five on Billboards top 200 album charts I sat back and considered how in 2006 bands such as Lamb Of God, Slayer and Iron Maiden all had top ten entries within weeks of each other.  Casting my mind back a decade ago when metal was supposedly extinct, this could almost be viewed as miraculous.  Lamb Of God's rise to such levels is well deserved and I fail to understand the vitriol hurled their way by vast masses of metal fans.  Their past three releases have all impressed and this was clearly the make or break album for the still fledgling act, and the results are unanimous.  With a crunch worthy of Slayer themselves, this must rank as one of the heaviest top five chart entries ever, Lamb still the same band they were six years ago on 'New American Gospel'.

As a hackneyed observer myself of this particular breed of American metal myself in the past, the charms of Lamb Of God escaped me.  It's refreshing to see I was wrong.  Take into account if you will the opening twenty two seconds of 'Foot To The Throat', a thrash battery that equals any particular segment of 'Christ Illusion'.  The riffs are the vital asset, compensating for slower arrangements, although there are hefty doses of speed, 'Forgotten (Lost Angels)' as relevant a thrasher as anything recorded in the last twenty years, with more than a nod to Pantera at odd occasions.  'Another Nail For Your Coffin' chugs along nicely, and this could be the debut all over again.  Don't tell me this band has changed dramatically.  Listen to the riffs here and then to 'Black Label' and try preaching 'sell out' or something equally as insipid.  The wall of noise present on 'Beating On Deaths Door' caused me to look, look away and then look again in a trivial cornball motion before the scathing riffing of 'Pathetic' forced me to undress and stand at my window nude for all passers by to see, a reaction reserved previously for Slayer only.

Past reviews for LOG on this site seemed to reveal a disdain for the progression of their musical abilities and direction, with analytical breakdowns of their chord structures and rhythmic patterns.  I don't see or hear any of that.  What is apparent is a band raising their game further and in a way that Unearth couldn't reckon with for one.  It's the sound of thrash incarnate, it could be 1988 and this would still qualify as upper tier, big four material.  To disregard 'Sacrament' would be an erroneous error for anyone with a passing interest in the best metal has to offer in this miserable age.  Thankfully someone still realizes the importance of heaviness and melody.
Horatio's Rating:  A

Discography (last updated 9.28.06):
New American Gospel - 2000
As The Palaces Burn - 2003
As The Palaces Burn EP - 2003
Ashes Of The Wake - 2004
Pure American Metal EP - 2004
Killadelphia EP - 2005
Sacrament - 2006