“On the eve of the great unraveling, I took the long way home.“
There’s one word that will often be associated with Lamb of God – consistent. For a band who have been at it for twenty years, they’ve not fallen into a ditch like many of their metal contemporaries have done in that time, whether it be the musical output taking a nosedive or members suddenly deciding to begin espousing their kool-aid induced views to the world. For those who have been invested in Lamb of God over these decades, much of their output has sufficed. The likes of Omen and the self-titled, while not extraordinary, never offered up too many complaints. Yet there was that perhaps that grit that was missed at times, that made the Ashes of the Wake and individual moments such as “512”. These records and tracks caused Lamb of God to reach out beyond their realm and across into others.
In their recent work, there was a sense that the Gojira-esque direction they chose lacked the abrasiveness that made Lamb of God the force they are. A sense of being too chorus heavy and it being a sound that had become stuffy stood out, with now even Malevolence pivoting their entire sound on one or two lyrical moments each song. Early singles from Into Oblivion showed that Lamb of God had added this bite to their songs once again, as “Sepsis” and “Into Oblivion” showcased a meaner and angrier Lamb of God, which rings true across Into Oblivion in its full showing.
The opening moments of “Into Oblivion” have that adrenaline injection that has given Lamb of God that appeal over the years, with their tracks making the listener feel like they’re 10 feet tall. The combination of the string work and the looping groove metal riffs immediately captures the ear and attention, as the in-your-face vocals from Randy Blythe command attention, barking “I am the bringer of the truth from which you run”. It’s a sign that the Lamb of God of yesteryear are back, and they’re angry as ever. The murkier and rougher around the edges production that made a return on Omens is once again present; with every element sitting more at the front than before, it gives Into Oblivion a full force appeal while still keeping the character their production style brings.
While Lamb of God do settle into their well-known formula as the album moves through its tracks, “The Killing Floor” does have that “Omerta” feel to it, with an added weight of the lyrical content tackling overseas wars. It has the atmosphere of musky old war montages showing the horrors of war, while succinctly addressing the state of affairs on that front within its lyrics. The big groove breakdowns are ones where it would be difficult not windmill headbang to these tracks when they’re witnessed in a live setting. “El Vacio” feels a fitting mid-point and follow-on. Paced guitar chords fill the track, blending in sludgy riffs on the grandiose chorus, with a deep contrast between this and the contemplative verses that fill the track.
The big riffs return as Into Oblivion moves into “St Catherine’s Wheel” and “Blunt Force Blues”. It is here that the Lamb of God formula which has perhaps become too familiar does begin to crop up again. While it is a sound they do well, and to deviate from it would sully who Lamb of God are, there will be little changing of hearts and minds for those on either side of the fence when it comes to their enjoyment of this sound. “Bully” does grab the record by the scruff of the neck, much like the opener did, shaking Into Oblivion back into life before its closing moments.
Lamb of God show two sides of a coin as they exit out of Into Oblivion. “A Thousand Years” meets those familiar groove riffs with menacing vocals, as if Blythe is on the hunt and has his enemy in their sights. Adding in a cowbell for good measure, “A Thousand Years” has a certain swagger that Lamb of God deploy now and then on a record. Closing out on “Devise/Destroy”, the album shows off that grandiosity that Lamb of God have done so well across their 10 records, with guitars that feel like they’re going to have fire burst out the side of them and drum grooves that could kick down a wall. Yet there is no quiet exit or fade out here: Lamb of God close out Into Oblivion just as pissed off as they were at the record’s opening.
From a slightly more outside perspective, it had seemed as ifLamb of God were tapering off in these later stages of their career, and to an extent they were. It did give a sense that Into Oblivion could give the direction of whereLamb of God were going to land in the latter half of this decade. Yet, on Into Oblivion the Virginia unit have a new bit between their teeth. Their anger at the world and society at large has been channeled into lyrics that will no doubt be chanted loud at their upcoming tour appearances and riffs that are as Lamb as God as ever with that extra edge to them. Within all that said, though, it is still very much Lamb of God, for better or for worse. Into Oblivion might just be the record that draws many wavering fans back in.
7/10
Into Oblivion will release March 13th via Epic Records, and can be pre-ordered here.