Lamb of God – Omens (Review)

This is the ninth album from US metal band Lamb of God.

I haven’t properly listened to Lamb of God since 2009’s Wrath, so it is a pleasure to hear them once more, doing what they do so well.

Omens is heavy and full of rage. It’s energetic and vibrant, and doesn’t sound like your typical album created by a band that have been around in one form or another for almost 30 years. Lamb of God have clearly retained their passion and enthusiasm for the style.

Muscular riffs and punishing groove are Lamb of God’s stock-in-trade, yet Omens does a remarkable job of not repeating itself or feeling stale. Yes it’s clearly Lamb of God, with everything that that usually entails, but it still sounds fresher than you might expect, or I expected at least. Besides, there are also elements of punk and sludge that are displayed here and there, working well alongside the more standard Lamb of God-esque material.

The songs are very enjoyable and satisfying examples of charismatic metal, whether they are tearing along with thumping heaviness or spitting hardcore venom. The daemonic snarls of the singer pack a hefty punch too. The concise songs and overall length of 41 minutes retains the listener’s attention easily, and the strength and experience of the band’s songwriting ability is clear in all aspects of the record.

Omens crushes, and I can only imagine its potency in the live environment. Omens is simply a quality metal album. I’m glad I’ve reacquainted myself with this metal juggernaut once more.