Customer Reviews

Ashes of the Wake

5 star:		(168)
4 star:		(43)
3 star:		(18)
2 star:		(13)
1 star:		(13)

 

 

Shadows Fall aside, Lamb of God had to be the most popular band in 2003 that was not signed to a major label. Both Shadows Fall and Lamb of God developed a large underground fan base, but, in 2004, Lamb of God were the only band to jump to the major leagues.

When some bands get signed to a major label, they are forced to add more melody to their music or make radio-friendly songs to help boost album sales (some would argue this happened to AFI). Some bands (i.e. Pantera--who ditched hair metal) end up changing their sound entirely. Still more bands take advantage of the label's big budget and production, thus making the new C.D. very polished and expensive (like Korn's "Untouchables.") When Lamb of God inked a major record deal, they definitely did NOT do either of the first two things (add melody to their music or completely change their sound), and they only partially did the third (take advantage of the label's production).

I believe Sony's mixing and production have made appearances on 2004's "Ashes of the Wake." The result is an improved quality of vocals. On "As the Palaces Burn," the guitars and drums were louder than the vocals, thus pushing frontman Randy Blythe to the back or the middle of the wall of sound. Don't get me wrong, I loved that album (I thought it was one of the best of 2003,) but on these songs, Blythe's vocals are level with the guitars and drums. Plus (I don't know if I should credit the production with this or not, but) Blythe's vocals are more interesting and diverse on this album. He still sounds like Cookie Monster most of the time, but here his voice fluctuates and has more than one tone. In addition to some ascending and descending yells, he shrieks, growls, and even calmly mutters an occasional spoken word.

It's a good thing that the vocals are more clear, because these lyrics are meaningful and somewhat intelligent. Randy bashes the President (even though he never name drops George Bush), war, government lies and hypocrisy, and corporations.

"As the Palaces Burn" may have been just a bit more raw sounding than this album, but this does not sound over polished by any means (something overproduction often does). Also, "Ashes of the Wake" doesn't forfeit any of the brutality that Lamb of God have made a name for themselves with. This C.D. is nothing short of 43 minutes of non-stop, intense, barely controlled and often brutal chaos. This quintet are the five most pissed off musicians to ever come from Virginia...and they're not afraid to show it. Guitarists Willie Adler and Mark Morton rip through each song with one fiery and crunchy guitar riff after another, and Randy belts out some ferocious death metal vocals. Meanwhile, drummer Chris Adler, who is at the root of the attack, goes from killer machine gun blasts to slow chugs (and often he does that in the same song). But this album isn't all brawn and no brains; most of these songs are full of several different rhythms and tempo/beat changes.

"Laid to Rest," is the opening track and the first single. Very fast, chugging riffs-which echo Pantera and Testament-run throughout this whole song, and, after the beginning spoken words, the vocals change to patented Randy Blythe vocals. The bridge near the end is a good tempo change, with bobbing riffs.
"Hourglass" has more fiery riffs, thumping snare drums, and a double bass which almost sounds like shots from a distant cannon. About twenty seconds in, the catchy beat pauses briefly, and Randy barks "Privilege the chosen view" a capella. This song continues to plow along, but it has subtle speed changes and, around the three minutes in, it becomes a stop-start rhythm.
"Now You've Got Something to Die For" is a lot speedier than tracks one and two. The beginning is a speedy groove with churning riffs, until the 50 second mark when a speed change kicks in and slows things down. The mid-section is a pounding rhythm with an ascending bellow, and the following verse has more fast chugging riffs. This song (particularly the chorus) is so catchy, it rings in your ears and rattles around your head forever.
"The Faded Line" begins by playing slower, rhythmic riffs over double kick drums. There's a creepy sounding guitar solo in this song, as well as a stop-start beat; but this song is a highlight because of the great, polyrhythmic drumming and ending shriek that Blythe lets out. (It sounds like he burned himself on a tea kettle.)
"Omerta" means "honor" in Italian. This song (track five) begins with a spoken word about "the rule of honor" (which I believe means, essentially, "kill or be killed.") It turns to a chugging beat with rhythmic riffs. Then, around the middle of the song, only one guitarist is playing (and is only audible in one headphone), but the drums and the other guitar kick in, and the song builds and gains density. Meanwhile, Randy is spouting lines like "A slip of the tongue, a slit of the throat..."
"Blood of the Scribe" is probably the song on this record with the most and the best tempo changes.
"One Gun" has another shriek, a running beat with pounding drums, and two mini guitar solos.
"Break You" has some more steam-rolling riffs, but this song is a highlight because part of it has high pitched shrieks which remind me of "New American Gospel." A nice breakdown near the end, too, with bobbing riffs.
"What I've Become" opens with another running beat, with fast, interlocking riffs. About two and a half minutes in, the riffs become bobbing, then they seem to almost trade off riffs (take turns). And, around 2:55, Randy lets out a high, long yell, which lasts nearly ten seconds.
"Ashes of the Wake" is a personal favorite. The beginning and end of this song features a voice from what sounds like a CNN report, but this track is mostly an instrumental. It features some more complex, multi-limbed drumming, but the real highlight is the guest guitar work by ex-Megadeth axeman Chris Poland and Testament's Alex Skolnick. They lay down a combined total of five short but sweet guitar solos. (The fourth solo, which winds and bends, is probably my favorite of the bunch.)
The only relief comes with the ending track, "Remorse is for the Dead." This song's light intro, which is soft, dwindling guitar chords, is so surprising, it's almost shocking. Don't fear, however, this song abruptly changes gears and goes full blast with the typical knock-out assault and staccato, stop-start riffing.

Some say that the whole album plows along at one speed, but I disagree. I can see how the first time listener would think this, but Chris Adler's aforementioned ability to switch from machine gun attacks to slow chugs makes this album full of beat and tempo changes. Plus, such songs as "Laid to Rest" are mid-tempo compared to other numbers, like "Now You've Got Something to Die For." And even if these songs were all one speed, this album wouldn't be the first to be like that. That's the way thrash-metal is! If you don't believe me, you haven't heard Megadeth's classic "Rust in Peace."

It may also appear to the first time listener that this C.D. is monotonous. But if you listen to their C.D.'s more than once, I guarantee it will grow on you and become very addicting. I used to think their music needed some texture and maybe even a little melody. Well, for this album, Lamb of God added texture by making the vocals more diverse. And melody? If they added melody to their songs (i.e. make the verses heavy and the choruses melodic, or vise versa), they would be just like any other popular metal band right now. The constant heaviness, plus the persistent double bass drumming and Cookie Monster vocals, make this band stand out from other New Wave of American Heavy Metal bands.

The only flaw I can find in this album is that Randy Blythe's vocals are very one-dimensional. He is constantly angry (that's the only emotion he uses). Other than that, this C.D. is perfect, from front to back. This is essential listening for fans of thrash, metalcore, New Wave of American Heavy Metal, death metal, and/or fans who are new to those genres. Actually, it's essential listening for any metalhead! If enjoy any kind of heavy music (except rap-core), you should find "Ashes of the Wake" to your liking.

In conclusion, this is a great album, easily one of the best of 2004, and Lamb of God are one of the few bands who jumped to a major label without selling out. "Ashes of the Wake" proves they are still as catchy, contagious, addictive, brutal, and all around great as they ever were. This is about as good as metal gets.

This album very well may be the best I've ever heard. Of course, I have said this before, but this time, I'm going to stick to my guns. Ashes of the Wake has everything. Let's begin with how this band came to be. Formerly known as Burn the Priest, Lamb of God consisted of only four members, Abe Spear being the guitarist rather than Mark Morton. Soon thereafter, Morton returned from Chicago to replace Abe as the guitarist. Meanwhile, the band had added another guitarist to the band, brother to drummer, Chris Adler, Will Adler. The aforementioned three, vocalist, Randy Blithe, and bassist, John Campbell, began to rise up from the underground Virginian metal scene and become what they are today, a force to be reckoned with. As far as the CD goes, it is a non-stop, riff-packed, double bass drumming thing of beauty. Randy grumbles and howls flawlessly on every track. The whole CD is a highlight, but here are some of my top favorites :

1. Laid To Rest - The album's first single, however, the video was kind of a disappointment. The beginning of the song is spoken by Randy, normally I wouldn't like that but for this song it really fits it well. What makes the song so great is the strong riff on the verses. The chorus is almost similar to a shout-along rather than a growl, which is another neat plus.
5. Omerta - This song also begins with a spoken portion, but even though it makes you think, I didn't find it necessary. That's just my opinion. Throughout the song, it seems as if Randy's voice has an echo effect on it, which is pretty cool. My favorite part of the song is around the break when only the drums and guitar are audible. All of the sudden, there is a sweet lead in by Chris and a tempo change.
6. Blood Of The Scribe - This song is chock-full of very high-pitched, almost emo-like, yelps. What really makes the song, for me, is the sixtuplet double kicking layed down by Chris on several occasions.
10. Ashes Of The Wake - The title track has no vocals, but ironically is my absolute favorite of the CD. When I first heard the song, I'd swear I listened to it about 10 times. The five guitar solos, done by guest guitarists Chris Poland and Alex Skolnick, are what make this track one of my favorites out there. The transition riffs and solid drumming also make this song sound awesome.

The only flaw I can really find with this album is that the bass is not powerful enough. Although it may be audible, I hope that on Sacrament, Lamb of God's new album, in stores August 22, the bass is more powerful and able to carry the band. Overall, if you're into metal, in fact, even if you're not into metal, you NEED this album, because this is an album that we will be talking about 10 years from now. Thank you for your time.

Anyone who has been following heavy metal/metalcore/extreme music knows that Ashes of the Wake is being watched very closely by the entire industry. After two original, technical, brutal, (and not to mention popular) albums, Major label Epic decided to pick these boys up...making them the most extreme group in the Label's history. After making the cover of Revolver magazine, MTV's Headbanger's Ball, and various other publications it is safe to say that expectations for this new album have been huge. Well after one listen through, I am estatic and relieved to say that Ashes of the Wake is easily Lamb of God's best, most accessible, and well produced album of their career; and the boys haven't sold out one bit. After I finished listening the only other album that I could compare this to in terms of brillance would have to be Metallica's Master of Puppets...it really is that mind-blowing...and I will try to explain why

What makes this album so great?

1.) Strongest songwriting to date...the lyrics are great, usually revolving around struggle against government, and the internal struggle we all face.

2.) Variety...One complaint I had about Lamb of God's previous album was that many of the songs kinda blended into one another...most were mid tempo and had the same feel..and all together way to short (the entire album was only 38 minutes long) This album has a variety of tempos, guitar textures, and even an instrumental track thrown in (With guest appearences by Ex-Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland and Testament's Alex Scholnitz)

3.) Production Quality...Producer extrodinaire Machine helmed this bad boy, and it shows. Easily the best sounding Lamb of God album...the drums pummel but are clean and punchy, the guitars are meaty, and Randy's screams have never been more...understandable!

4.) Groove...This is probably my favorite point of the album...It is loaded with hooks and grooves that make you want to shake your fist and start moshing it up, making it the most fun and accessible album of their career. Don't get me wrong...these guys still play brutal and complex metal...but have replaced some of their brooding (Think Meshuggah) with thrash elements (Think Puppets-era Metallica) Try listening to "Laid to Rest" or "Hourglass" without banging your head...its impossible.

Conclusion - Metal album...hell album of the year...anyone who enjoys old Metallica, metalcore, Pantera, Math Metal will find these boys have seamlessly blended all those elements into one hell of an album

Lamb Of God has been around the music scene since 1998, and out of their four albums (the first of which was under the name Burn The Priest), they've never received the recognition they deserved. Their 2004 release, Ashes Of The Wake finally gave them the wide spread exposure they needed. To assist in those matters, they opened for Slipknot on the Subliminal Verses Tour. Their performance in that tour was sure to open many eyes to the musical prowess they so effortlessly display.

Lamb Of God came around at exactly the right time; many have dubbed them "the new wave of heavy metal", and due to this particular genre of metal's past decline, some have even deemed them saviors. Although the five members of Lamb Of God, Randy Blythe (vocals), Mark Morton (guitar), Willie Adler (guitar), Chris Adler (drums) and John Campbell (bass), claim they started the band for "the love of getting drunk," they obviously love their line of work as well.

Since Lamb of God's first album, they have steadily improved and refined their sound. Perhaps the biggest improvement in Ashes Of The Wake compared to their previous efforts is that the vocals are much more clear, making Blythe's voice sound more concise and powerful. The guitar work is nothing short of brilliant, and the drumming can only be described as amazing.

Ashes Of The Wake starts off with their first single of this album, "Laid To Rest." The guitar work bares an uncanny resemblance to Testament's "Into The Pit." This is not a cheap knock off however, it is more of a homage to one of their influences. The next song, "Hourglass," contains hard hitting riffs and a solo of sorts that makes you wonder how many fingers each guitarist has. No album would be complete without a crowd pleaser, making "Now You've Got Something To Die For" sure to be every concert goer's mantra for the evening. This sort of assault continues for a total of eleven tracks, only slowing briefly in the introduction to "Omerta," for a recitation of the rule of honor. This song continues into a slower chugging, groove oriented song. The only real relief comes from the closing track, "Remorse For The Dead," which starts slow and ominous using smooth guitars and light drumming. It soon turns into heavy ominous riffs and vocals to match.

On a personal note, this album will probably always hold a special place in my heart as the first real introduction to this "new wave of heavy metal." I cannot think of any other album to offer as good an introduction and because of it I am glad to be part of this chapter in music history.

This CD is very good. Although it follows the same formula as "As the Palaces Burn" it seems as though there is more added qualities. I could be wrong but to me it seems as if "Ashes of the Wake" contains a cleaner, tighter, sound quality and production allowing the bass guitar to come out more as well as the powerful guitar riffs (which come in the many). The Double bass is consistant and adds an excellent back drop to the guitars. And even though Randy's voice hasn't really changed since "As the Palaces Burn" he does change his voice pattern going from his normal growl to death growls and screechs. His voice fits very well with the music even though my friend finds that he could've pulled his voice out more I explained to him that it wouldn't fit with the assaulting guitars and the pounding double bass.

Each song is very well put together and the lyrics are great usually revolving around politics or religion. My favorite track would have to be "Hourglass" I really like the part when the guitar breaks down and pulls a riff and the double bass adds an interesting groove. Then it's say in a whispering tone "It's only getting worse" and then Randy screams for a good 10-20 seconds. It's beautiful. There really isn't a bad track on here. All of the tracks sorta sound the same but it's easy to get used to that. It's only 9 dollars at best buy so what reason would you not to buy this CD? Maybe you don't like metal but then why would you read this?
GO buy this CD, you won't regret it.

killer cd, Lamb of god just rocks out, no dicking around. I especially like the lack of repetitiveness in their song structure, it makes the album hard to get tired of. very good production too for a metal album. Perfect for playing loudly in public through your car stereo when their is preppy rapper kids and other undesirables roaming about. never fails to turn heads.

p.s. - do not mix with alcohol, may result in severe whiplash and/or other neck injuries associated with rappid
banging-of-the-head.

They just don't make bands like this anymore...pure, all-American Metal music! No Metalcore spin-off's, no emo-screamo vocals...just straight up, kick your ass, in your face Metal!!! These guys are the epitome of what American metal should be. It goes without saying that if you thought "As The Palaces Burn" was smokin'... This album will set you ablaze!

As far as I'm concerned, these guys are the next PANTERA for me. They have found that magic formula for making great music and they have stuck to it. There aren't many frills, unless of course you count Chris Adler's furiously galloping drums, punishing riffs and unmatched fretwork a la Willy Adler and Mark Morgan, John Campell's Bass lines and Randy Blythe's choking vocals... then I guess this whole album could be considered one big frill. I really think Randy and the Boys got what it takes to go all the way with this thing, and I hope we can expect many more releases in the future.

Details, details..., Chris Poland returns to lend his chops for another solo, as well as Alex Skolnick of TESTAMENT, both appear only on one track however, "Ashes Of The Wake". Other than that, these guys haven't deviated from their formula too much and if anything have only gotten better, just listen to track #4 "The Faded Line", I thought I was gonna pass out it's that good! Whew!

Bottom line, if you like LAMB OF GOD you will love this album and chances are already have it. If you have never heard LAMB OF GOD, this album is just as good as any to start with, so get it. No doubt, this is one of the top 5 albums of 2004.

Firstly, I'll give you my "to the point" review. "lamb of god" is yet another in a long line of bands that have not only brought metal music back into the realm of REAL music genres instead of some kind of "fad/regional/low-fan base" genre of music; but have done so in the tradition(s) of the great ones (Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, Rainbow, Black Sabbath, etc.). This CD carries on where "As The Palaces Burn" left off (if it left anything undone indeed), and is worth every bit of money you spend on it. If you are into VERY heavy music that makes both political points as well as "sheer-headbanging for the sake of" metal, buy this.

That having been said, I would like to make a bit of a statement and then shut the f*ck up. If you like a CD, then say so, with a bit of why that particular CD/Band wails on you like it does. If you don't like a CD? Again, say so and state why. But comparing bands, saying this band sounds like this band, saying that this band IS Metal, or this band ISN'T metal? That, while a matter of opinion, has WAY too many variables to it for you to make that particular judgement. How about something more along the lines of "This CD wasn't heavy enough for me" rather than "This band isn't Metal" or "This band sounds like this band" type comments. Those last two comments are just the kind of sh*t that keeps not only Metalheads but Metal BANDS from being able to stay true to their styles AND actually being able to at least PAY THE RENT with their craft, get me? All this sh*t about "selling out" and crap like that is what kept Metal videos and shows off the air for almost a decade, which meant that bands had to work 2 or 3 jobs AND then try to put on a killer show with 2 hours sleep.

Regardless, this again is just an opinion, but one I hadn't seen yet so I thought I'd put it up for the sake of all Metalheads, Rivetdogs, Steelbashers, and everyone else who goes beyond just "listening" to Heavy (generic enough?), but actually lives their lives that way, to the HILT!

Cheers,
Joseph Ellis

When grunge hit in 1992, all other forms of hard rock in America either died completely, such as hair metal, or in the case of the more traditional form of good, honest, heavy metal, was forced back underground. After the overrated Seattle sound came some awfully dark times for anyone who grew up during the glory days of metal in the previous decade. By the late 1990s, the only mainstream forms of heavy music out there were either whiny guy post-grunge (a.k.a. college bands), and the repetitive, monotonous nu/rap metal genres. All the while, old-fashioned metal refused to die, always lurking underneath the surface, unknown to mainstream rock audiences, waiting for the right time to pounce. Well, the time is now, and the days of the nu-metal are clearly numbered.
2004 has been the most crucial year for metal music in ages, as bands like Killswitch Engage, Fear Factory, and most recently, Shadows Fall, have helped recapture the throne. Leading the way is Lamb of God, who is easily the most important American band in this recent wave of traditional metal artists. They're the ones who have set the bar for the others, and in three albums, have set that bar at a difficult height to overcome. Their first two albums, New American Gospel, and As the Palaces Burn dared to take this form of music to another level. Taking the muscular riffs and powerful percussion of '90's only real metal heavyweight, Pantera, and mashing it all with some unbelievable musical versatility, utilizing the doom-ridden sounds of Slayer, and the sharp technical work of Megadeth. With their latest offering, Ashes of the Wake, being completed in only 5 months time it makes the album all the more impressive.
As great as As the Palaces Burn was, with instant classics like "Ruin" and "11th Hour", its the guitar sound was disappointingly thin. It felt like there was too much air noise in the mix, and the record badly needed a much denser sound. Ashes of the Wake adds some needed fine-tuning to the Lamb of God sound, and the end result is their most real sounding piece of work yet. To hear it for the first time, after listening to the previous two albums, is to be hit right between the eyes with the revelation of just how powerful this band can be on record. On Ashes of the Wake, the guitar work of Willie Adler and Mark Morton is incredibly tight, and technical, establishing them as the finest American metal guitar duo since Slayer's Kerry King and Jeff Hanneman. Drummer Chris Adler is flawless, his punctuating of the riffs greatly resembles that of Pantera's great Vinnie Paul. His double bass is placed right up front in the mix. Vocalist Randy Blythe emerges as one of the most distinctive frontmen in metal. Instead of always going for the guttural, extreme vocals that have become all too common in the last decade, he takes on a menacing, raspy snarl. He manages to sound ferocious, yet understandable. Not only that, but he can command a crowd like no other, as anyone who has seen him pull off the infamous Braveheart style "wall of death" in concert will agree.
The songs on Ashes of the Wake are among the strongest the band has ever written, especially the first track, "Laid to Rest", with its Dimebag Darrell meets Zakk Wylde riffs, and Blythe's back-and-forth vocal performance, climaxing with the pummeling, Meshuggah-style breakdown. "Now You've Got Something to Die For" was written to be a live song, with its shout-along chorus. The dark "Omerta" plods along intensely, sounding utterly monolithic, as Blythe adopts almost robotic vocals.
If the album has a fault, it's that it plows along at pretty much the same pace throughout the duration, something that new listeners might have trouble getting used to. It is something that will require multiple listens, but once they do get used to the intricacies and tricks the entire band has up their sleeves you realize just how solid a record this is. It's actually an instrumental track that provides the best moment, as guitarists Morton and Adler are joined by former Megadeth guitarist Chris Poland and former testament guitarist Alex Skolnick. The quartet engage in a blistering series of solos over a frantic arrangement, held down ably by drummer Chris Adler and bassist John Campbell.
Ashes of the Wake has become the big breakthrough that traditional metal needed, as it debuted in the Billboard top 50. One can't help but feel that, given more time, Lamb of God will eventually pull off something even better. The album is not earth shattering, but it is absolutely loaded with menacing tremors, with the ominous hint of something even bigger looming on the horizon. It took a full decade for metal to return, but thank God, or Lamb of God, it's back.

Actually, with this release, they have put themselves at the forefront of the present metal scene.

"As the Palaces Burn" made people aware of LOG. "Ashes of the Wake" puts LOG on the map permanently. LOG made a huge leap between these two discs -- not just signing with a major label, but in a musical sense. This is without a doubt the single most crushing album I have ever owned. It is absolutely relentless in its brutality and craftsmanship. From start to finish this album is as perfect as extreme metal can get. There are absolutely no weak links -- each song takes on the personality of the previous song and adds on to it. The CD just keeps getting better and better until it comes to a perfect end with "Remorse is for the Dead."

What seperates bands like Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Soilwork, Strapping Young Lad, Killswitch Engage and In Flames from the rest of the neverending pack of "extreme metal" bands? It's really very simple. Two things -- their mastery of their instruments and their imaginations. They aren't content to keep writing the same songs. They take this powerful brand of music and they try to expand it. They aren't afraid to try new things. They try to steer it into new directions.

They have a sense of purpose in what they sing and play and how they sing and play. Unlike a myriad of mindless bands who growl for the sake of growling, and who beat on drums and chug on guitars as fast as they can with no real direction, these bands have a vision in mind and they wield their instruments and microphones with purpose.

This is what makes LOG such an exciting band. Who knows what "Ashes of the Wake" will lead to? I have been anticipating the follow-up to "AOTW" since the day I first listened to it. This CD rewoke in me the passion I had for heavy music. 10 years ago I never would have imagined anyone would have (could have) made an album as sonically ferocious as "AOTW".

With this release, LOG has kicked open the door and taken over the steering wheel for heavy music. Wherever they go from here, new bands are sure to follow.