Omens

Omens is a work on which LAMB OF GOD thrusts complexly meshing riffs and groove, and Randy Blythe’s rough roar, head-on. The songs are short and tight with no waste, and tempo changes and rhythmic catches always keep the tension. It is a record on which the band’s aggression is even more honed. On “Nevermore,” “To the Grave” and “Omens,” as the socially-uneasy title suggests, they give form to outward-directed anger with precise playing. Songs like “Vanishing,” “Gomorrah” and “Denial Mechanism” breathe the band’s full playing too. The stability of the new lineup welcoming Art Cruz can also be felt. Even as veterans, LAMB OF GOD’s aggression and precision have not dimmed in the least — a full record.