God Couple

With their prodigious performances on LAMB OF GOD’s new self-titled full-length, Mark Morton and Willie Adler remind us all why they are ranked among the most formidable guitar tandems in metal history

- Jeff Kitts

2020 WAS POISED TO BE A BANNER YEAR FOR LAMB OF GOD. THE REIGNING THRASH ME TALKINGS— particularly true now that Slayer are no longer active — had put the finishing touches on their self-titled eighth studio album, the first to feature Art Cruz in place of longtime drummer Chris Adler, and had a rigorous touring schedule, including a still-scheduled mammoth trek alongside Megadeth, Trivium and In Flames. Guitarist Mark Morton had been busy for the past year or so with a pair of solo releases — last year’s Anesthetic full-length and a five-song, mostly acoustic EP titled Ether, released this past January — and tour dates in support of his solo endeavors. Then March came along, and the world came to a screeching halt — and that halt included the postponement of Lamb of God’s UK/European spring tour.

It also led to the postponement of the new album’s release date. Originally slated to drop in early May, Lamb of God is now set for a June 19 release.

“We appreciate your patience during these times,” the band said in an April 20 statement. “A global pandemic is not something people in the music industry usually take into account when scheduling album releases, but as you know, this thing has affected everyone across the board, and we are no exception... Wash your damn hands, let us know what you think of the new tunes, and see you on the road sometime!”

Luckily, the band has already released a handful of tunes from the new disc, and they hint at an album the Richmond, Virginia, five-piece can certainly be proud of. Lamb of God is a 10-song masterwork of infinitely precise and intricate riffage, crushing breakdowns, and production work that rivals any of the top albums in recent memory.