Lamb Of God had me hook, line and sinker with their album New American Gospel—technically their sophomore release, but the first under this particular band name. For me, they were going to have to do something out of this world to top that particular release.
I truly hate to say this… but they fell short of the mark with As The Palaces Burn, their third overall release. It’s by no means a bad album, but it is a step down for Randy Blythe and crew.
Let’s get what they got right out of the way first and foremost. Pairing up with Devin Townsend to produce the album was a spark of genius; Townsend is no stranger to writing riffs that sound like they were played on a hydraulic drill, so the pairing seems natural. And the twin guitar attack of Mark Morton and Willie Adler does something special with their riffage, making it sound like the guitars are being bent in pain as they play. The tones they wring from the necks of their respective axes are one of the signature sounds of Lamb Of God.
Also, Blythe’s vocals are far more understandable than they were on New American Gospel, so the listener actually has an idea of what they’re being bludgeoned over the head with. It actually is a welcome change, and is one that Blythe seems to have kept going on subsequent albums.
So, why do I consider As The Palaces Burn not as strong of an album? Simple: very few tracks jump out at me as I listen to it and demand my undivided attention. Where New American Gospel had songs like “Black Label” and “Terror And Hubris In The House Of Frank Pollard” that constantly have me going back to them, As The Palaces Burn has maybe one such moment: “11th Hour.” Most of the other tracks—while in and of themselves not bad, just don’t differentiate themselves.
Also, the sound of Chris Adler’s drums has changed. Maybe it was me, but I actually liked the tinny sound of his snare on New American Gospel; that is completely gone. Sorry, but I miss that.
Quite possibly, the big surprise on the album is the closing track “Vigil.” Starting with a more gentle guitar line, Blythe’s growls turn it into a plodding metal track before it eventually kicks into overdrive. I like how this one covers three styles of metal in the course of just under five minutes.
As The Palaces Burn might be an album that has to grow on the listener; I’m fully willing to concede that I might not have spent as much time with this one as I should have. But where other albums grabbed me by the eardrums from almost the first note, this one just fails to do so. And that is the biggest disappointment.
