Album Review: Lamb of God - Into Oblivion
Reviewed by Oli Gonzalez
This is a motherfuckin' invitation! The only one you could ever need!
That’s right, Lamb Of God are back with their tenth studio album “Into Oblivion”. A band who have toured across the globe and who’s impact on the world of metal cannot be understated. Having achieved pretty much everything to achieve, where do Lamb Of God go from here? Especially with guitarist Mark Morton stating that there isn’t ‘really much that’s out of bounds for us creatively’, hinting at a band who may have exhausted their creative capacity. Sometimes musicians need a moment to reflect on where they’ve come from to know where they are. Which is why Lamb Of God outlined that they’ll be paying homage to bands that influenced them from the local Richmond, Virginia scene of the early 90s. In addition, Mark adds rather succinctly that they want to write music ‘that we think is cool’ without what they consider to be the external pressures and influences that detract from their artistic vision. How will all of this manifest on “Into Oblivion”? Let’s find out…
The album’s title track ‘Into Oblivion’ kicks things off with a blistering statement. The guitars sharp yet melodic and inviting, sitting on top of a rhythm section tight as a mechanic’s wrench! Vocalist Randy Blythe sounds as fierce as ever and showing no signs of aging. Compare his voice to earlier studio recordings and you’ll barely notice any wear and tear. They increase the pressure and pace though with ‘Parasocial Christ’, and coming in at barely 3 minutes in length, it has a no BS and straight on the nose delivery! This will appease fans of their earlier work, evoking a similar vibe to ‘As The Places Burn’ in a brief yet muscular effort. Though things slow down with a much sludgier yet no less powerful track in ‘Sepsis’, similar to ‘El Vacio’ where the vibe is low and slow although served with heaps of melancholy on the side. Both of which are crucial to the overall ebb and flow of the album. In fact, the pacing of the album is pretty excellent; you feel neither overwhelmed by the sheer weight of the pummelling riffs (of which are there are many) nor feel under stimulated through tactical yet necessary slower parts to build tension and intrigue. These slower acts act as respite before ‘St Catherine’s Wheel’. Despite it’s calmer opening, this is certainly a slow burner and before you know it you’re dealing with a legit bruiser of a track. Though the album reaches its peak with ‘Bully’ another melodic number that packs a punch.
Let’s face it, the world’s a pretty crazy place right now…and that’s putting it mildly! Blythe pulls no punches in providing a sobering blunt social commentary on the planet we live in. ‘Devise/Destroy’ provides the best example of this in perhaps his strongest performance on the album.
Lamb Of God have an embarrassment of riches at their disposal to get the best possible end product from the studio. Which is remarkable considering how much of this was recorded at Morton’s home set up! Though they know their sound inside out and the finished product comes across as rough and gritty but by design. A design that allows you to feel a very raw yet believable edge.
“Into Oblivion” is everything you’d expect from a Lamb Of God album. Which sounds great, but also highlights a problem. Where’s the challenge to try something different and push boundaries? One may consider “Into Oblivion” to be a little too safe in this regard. By the same token though, bands can be accused of selling out if they even think of attempting to try maybe something slightly different, so damned if they do and damned if they don’t. “Into Oblivion” would serve as a great introduction to Lamb Of God and a solid representation of their signature sound. Whilst the band may have reached their creative peak though, “Into Oblivion” demonstrates that Lamb Of God are still kings of metal and will not be abdicating the throne anytime soon.
