Lamb Of God
As The Palaces Burn

THE REVIEW

Second work by Lamb of God, a band that may not be very original, but has managed to gain a great fan base thanks to the undeniable destructive power that they manage to generate, particularly on drums and vocals.

In fact, they will accompany Slayer on this year's Unholy Alliance Tour. And it is precisely Slayer that stands out as the primary influence in their songs, with muted riffs in industrial quantities specifically designed for furious headbanging and melodic textures whose purpose is certainly not to lighten the sound impact, but rather to give a "dramatic" effect to everything.
"As the Palaces Burn" (AtPB) can be considered a refinement of the character already present in the debut "American Gospel" whose potential will definitely be highlighted in the latest "Ashes of the Wake," although personally, I consider it inferior to the first work. "AtPB" in fact, although consisting of memorable tracks and always performed live, suffers from repetitiveness.

The album opens with "Ruin," a very intense Slayer-like track with an explosive start (accompanied by an inhuman scream) and a finale composed of acceleration and a sudden slowdown (it should be noted that the sudden time changes in LoG are a trademark), immediately followed by the title-track, a short piece containing an unexpected solo, while the fourth track "11th Hour" stands out for its unusual construction and a decidedly catchy refrain featuring a harmonic chord interspersed with the muted rhythm.
The rest of the album remains at a good but not exceptional level, and among tracks that are frankly similar and at times anonymous, "In Defence Of Our Good Name" can be remembered for the splendid mid-point acceleration, "Blood Junkie" in which a famous riff reused better in the following album appears at the end (the "blblblblblb" riff as the guitarist defined it in an interview...!) and the concluding "Vigil" that starts with a quiet arpeggio broken by the singer's suave voice and an ultra-fast finale where the drums give their best.

Recommended only for those who have already listened to and appreciated the latest "Ashes of the Wake," for occasional listeners, however, objectively I believe it can be done without.