Review Summary: A thrilling example of a band hitting back at negative reception to a previous effort, 'Resolution' captures Lamb of God at their heaviest for a long time
For some of us, the past decade has been hard to swallow as a Lamb of God fan. It is easy to forget that there was a time when this band were both a commercial powerhouse and also one of the few "gateway" bands to also be deemed tolerable by the wider metal community. For examples of both statements, one need only look at the airplay of songs such as Redneck and Laid to Rest, or to take a cursory glance over the ratings for their earlier albums on this very site. Sadly, this wasn't sustainable, and whilst albums such as their self-titled have their fans, it surely isn't too controversial to indicate a gulf in quality. As such, it is with fond memories that their glory days are remembered, and if one album lends any hope to the notion of a comeback, it should be 2012's 'Resolution.'
Following the decidedly lukewarm response to 'Wrath,' the band returned to the drawing board and emerged with one of their strongest efforts to date. Those who have enjoyed the band's most renowned efforts such as 'Sacrament' will find enjoyment from the majority of this album, whilst it is bookended by two more experimental pieces that showcase the band's creativity at its peak. "Straight For The Sun" opens the album up in crushingly heavy fashion, with a slower, sludgy riff that stands out among the heaviest material they have released since 'As The Palaces Burn.' Randy Blythe's mid-range howls perfectly compliment this music, lending a tortured feel to an already affecting opener.
"Desolation" continues the album, and this is where they revert to type, utilizing a formula that has served them so well in the past. Lamb of God's sound is one that blends confident and complicated drumming with riffs that are both catchy and a little more complex than those found in their contemporaries. Bands such as Trivium perform similar riffs, and so fans of that band may enjoy this record, but where Lamb of God deviate from those metalcore trappings are by almost completely avoiding chugging breakdowns. Instead, furious bridges are an integral part of their formula, usually leading into a solo as can be found in "Ghost Walking".
Disproving the notion that Lamb Of God are a one-trick pony, however, are moments of experimentation scattered throughout the album. The clean vocals in "Insurrection" are a surprise, and are rather suitable for this particular track. After so many songs of blind rage, Randy's cleans mix up the formula, and are far less distracting here than on certain songs found later in their career. "Cheated" sees the band offering up a bludgeon to the head as the main course, with riffs that lead into an absolutely vicious chorus notable for just how heavy it is. When discussing experimentation on this album, however, one song comes to mind, and it is the colossal closer "King Me." The use of strings and orchestral elements lend a lot to this song, whilst Randy's heartfelt lyrics are very effective. "King Me" is by far the longest song here, and also the most memorable.
So, after so much praise heaped upon this album, where does it fall short? The truth is that there is the central third of its runtime simply blends into one. "The Undertow", "The Number Six", and "Invictus" are only really memorable by their choruses, and even this is a stretch for "Invictus." There is nothing offensive about these tracks, but they lack that injection of creativity found in the others. This is something that has become more problematic in the material that they have released since then, but these more stale tracks definitely detract from the overall experience here.
'Resolution' is an album I revisit with sadness, knowing that this was the last truly great album from a band I loved. The standout songs here - tracks such as "Cheated" and "Ghost Walking"and "King Me" remain enjoyable all these years later, and I highly recommend the album overall. One or two duds slightly mar the package as a whole, but this remains a fine example of the band attempting something new whilst trying to right the wrongs of the previous album.
