Lamb of God (album)
Lamb of God is the self-titled tenth studio album by American metal band Lamb of God. The album was initially set for release on May 8, 2020 through Epic and Nuclear Blast, but was later pushed back to June 19 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4][5] Lamb of God marks the first studio album of all-new material by the band since 2015's VII: Sturm und Drang, making it the longest gap between their albums, and the first to feature Art Cruz as the replacement for original drummer Chris Adler, who left the band in July 2019.[6] As with all their albums since 2006's Sacrament, this album was produced, engineered and mixed by longtime collaborator Josh Wilbur.
Lamb of God | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | June 19, 2020 | |||
Recorded | 2019 | |||
Studio | Various[1]
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Genre | ||||
Length | 44:32 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | Josh Wilbur | |||
Lamb of God chronology | ||||
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Alternative cover | ||||
![]() Limited edition cover | ||||
Singles from Lamb of God | ||||
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Critical reception
Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 7.5/10[7] |
Metacritic | 81/100[8] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blabbermouth.net | 8.5/10[9] |
Consequence of Sound | A[10] |
Exclaim! | 7/10[11] |
Kerrang! | 4/5[12] |
Louder Sound | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Metal Storm | 6.0/10[14] |
NME | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rockpit | 8/10[16] |
Rolling Stone | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Lamb of God received critical acclaim from music critics upon its release. At review aggregate Metacritic, the album has an average score of 81 out of 100 based on seven reviews, indicating "universal acclaim reviews".[8] At AnyDecentMusic?, the album has an average score of 7.5 out of 10 based on six reviews.[7]
James Christopher Monger from AllMusic awarded the album four out of five stars, describing the album "a tense, yet confident album for taut and uncomfortable times."[2] Manus Hopkins from Exclaim! scored the album 7 out of 10, and said that while nothing in Lamb of God feels "groundbreaking" or "cutting-edge" like the band's previous albums, the album is still "essentially what fans should expect from the band at this point."[11] James McMahon from NME also gave the album four out of five stars, calling the album "a record that's the most authentic version of the band Lamb of God want to be."[15] He particularly singled out the song "Memento Mori", which "driven by Mark Morton's unforgiving guitar, flirts with the ethereal goth of the Sisters of Mercy."[15]
Kory Grow from Rolling Stone gave the album three out of five stars, stating that the album contains "the sort of piledriving guitar riffs and Olympic-medal-worthy drumming the band has perfected over the last 20 years" which making it easy for the band's "less political fans" to "get in on the fun."[17] He also praised Blythe's "open-minded" and "inclusive" lyrics that make listeners to "strain your ears to make sense of his screeds."[17]
Commercial performance
Lamb of God debuted at No. 15 on the Billboard 200, selling 30,000 album-equivalent units in its first week of release, of which 27,000 were pure album sales.[18] The album also debuted at No. 2 on both the Current Album Sales and Top Rock Albums charts, and No. 1 on the Hard Rock Albums charts.[18]
Track listing
All tracks are written by Lamb of God.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Memento Mori" | 5:48 |
2. | "Checkmate" | 4:30 |
3. | "Gears" | 3:55 |
4. | "Reality Bath" | 4:32 |
5. | "New Colossal Hate" | 4:30 |
6. | "Resurrection Man" | 4:59 |
7. | "Poison Dream" (featuring Jamey Jasta) | 4:57 |
8. | "Routes" (featuring Chuck Billy) | 3:04 |
9. | "Bloodshot Eyes" | 3:57 |
10. | "On the Hook" | 4:30 |
Total length: | 44:32 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
11. | "Ghost Shaped People" | 4:05 |
Total length: | 48:07 |
Personnel
Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[1]
Lamb of God
- Randy Blythe – vocals
- Mark Morton – guitars
- Willie Adler – guitars
- John Campbell – bass
- Art Cruz – drums
Additional musicians
- Jamey Jasta – guest vocals (on "Poison Dream")
- Chuck Billy – guest vocals (on "Routes")
- Samantha Wilbur – children voice (on "Memento Mori")
- Maxwell Wilbur – children voice (on "Memento Mori")
Production and design
- Josh Wilbur – production, engineering, mixing
- Kevin Billingslea – engineering
- Nick Rowe – engineering
- Oliver Roman – engineering (additional)
- Jerred Pollaci – engineering (additional)
- Evan Myaskovsky – engineering (additional)
- Kyle Hynes – engineering (additional)
- Matthew Erlichman – engineering (additional)
- Paul Bruski – engineering (additional)
- Ted Jensen – mastering
- K3n Adams – artwork, art direction
- Randy Blythe – photography
- Travis Shinn – photography (band)
Charts
Chart (2020) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australian Albums (ARIA)[19] | 5 |
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[20] | 8 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[21] | 23 |
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[22] | 15 |
Canadian Albums (Billboard)[23] | 11 |
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[24] | 62 |
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[25] | 44 |
Finnish Albums (Suomen virallinen lista)[26] | 6 |
French Albums (SNEP)[27] | 117 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[28] | 7 |
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[29] | 19 |
Italian Albums (FIMI)[30] | 96 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[31] | 8 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[32] | 4 |
UK Albums (OCC)[33] | 16 |
US Billboard 200[34] | 15 |
References
- "Credits". Lamb of God (booklet). Lamb of God. Nuclear Blast Records. 2020. NB 5375-2.CS1 maint: others (link)
- James Christopher Monger. "Lamb of God - Lamb of God". AllMusic. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Lamb of God Announce Self-Titled New Album + Release New Single 'Checkmate'". Wall of Sound. February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- "LAMB OF GOD To Release Self-Titled Album In May; Track Listing, Cover Artwork Unveiled". Blabbermouth.net. February 5, 2020. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- "LAMB OF GOD's Self-Titled Album Pushed Back To June". Blabbermouth.net. April 20, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
- "It's Official: LAMB OF GOD Parts Ways With Drummer CHRIS ADLER". Blabbermouth.net. July 19, 2019. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- "Lamb Of God by Lamb Of God". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Lamb of God". Metacritic. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Dom Lawson. "CD Reviews - Lamb Of God Lamb Of God". Blabbermouth.net. Retrieved June 20, 2020.
- Michael Pementel (June 16, 2020). "Lamb of God Deliver the Album of Their Career with Self-Titled Effort: Review". Consequence of Sound. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Manus Hopkins (June 19, 2020). "Lamb of God Have Plateaued — but Their Self-Titled Album Proves That's Not Such a Bad Thing". Exclaim!. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Sam Law (June 18, 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: LAMB OF GOD – LAMB OF GOD". Kerrang!. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Dom Lawson (June 19, 2020). "Lamb Of God's Lamb Of God: self-titled, hook-powered thunder-crunch". Kerrang!. Metal Hammer. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- "Lamb Of God - Lamb Of God review". Metal Storm. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- James McMahon (June 16, 2020). "Lamb Of God – 'Lamb Of God' review: metal deities show no sign of letting their wrath subside". NME. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Andrew Massie (June 7, 2020). "ALBUM REVIEW: Lamb Of God – Lamb Of God". The Rockpit. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Kory Grow (June 18, 2020). "Lamb of God Embody 'The American Scream' on Self-Titled Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 19, 2020.
- Robert Pasbani (June 30, 2020). "LAMB OF GOD's New Album Debuts In Top 15 on Billboard 200". Metal Injection. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- "Australiancharts.com – Lamb of God – Lamb of God". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "Austriancharts.at – Lamb of God – Lamb of God" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "Ultratop.be – Lamb of God – Lamb of God" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Ultratop.be – Lamb of God – Lamb of God" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Lamb of God Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 202013 on the field besides the word "Zobrazit", and then click over the word to retrieve the correct chart data. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- "Dutchcharts.nl – Lamb of God – Lamb of God" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Lamb of God: Lamb of God" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "Top Albums (Week 26, 2020)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved June 29, 2020.
- "Offiziellecharts.de – Lamb of God – Lamb of God" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Top 40 album DVD és válogatáslemez-lista – 2020. 26. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved July 3, 2020.
- "Italiancharts.com – Lamb of God – Lamb of God". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 2, 2020.
- "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Swisscharts.com – Lamb of God – Lamb of God". Hung Medien. Retrieved July 1, 2020.
- "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
- "Lamb of God Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 1, 2020.