Lamb of God – Top 15 New Wave of American Heavy Metal Albums

These are the albums that defined the aughts.



The '00s were quite a fertile period for heavy music. So much so that the press and fans anointed the era "The New Wave of American Heavy Metal" or "The New Wave of American Metal." Same difference. MTV resurrected Headbanger's Ball, with Jamey Jasta of Hatebreed installed as the host. Late night TV shows, like Jimmy Kimmel Live!, were booking the bands of the era to perform with increasing frequency throughout the decade. Yes, those firebreathing noise merchants in The Dillinger Escape Plan played Conan and things were never, ever the same.

If you require more proof that the public and media hungered for metal equally, well, think about how Ozzfest ballooned, inviting heavier bands to play both the main and the side stages. The annual heavy metal summer camp was eventually immobilized and replaced by The Rock Star Energy Drink Mayhem Festival, which also grew exponentially and played sheds.

Most impressive were the sales numbers of these bands. Albums repeatedly went platinum and gold, with the likes of Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, Lamb of God and Atreyu notching RIAA certifications and awards for achieving monster sales. More notable was the fact that you could turn on the radio and hear these same bands on the dial and not always after midnight on specialty shows.

Do we even need to mention the Grammy nominations? It made us realize that people with their ears to the underground and in possession of a keen knowledge of the aggressive music scene were influencing the balloting, since extreme bands were notching noms. It wasn't as though this was further atonement for the Jethro Tull gaffe that still haunts the metal category today; it was an institution recognizing and supporting a movement!

Hands down—the '00s were a legit and rich era for heavy metal. These are the albums that defined the period.

2. Lamb Of God – Sacrament

By 2006, the New Wave of American Heavy Metal was in full swing. The bands that ignited it were deep into their careers, four or five albums deep. It was time to shakethings up again. Lamb of God must've recognized that on some level whetherconsciously or subconsciously, because they turned the tides again by churning out a masterpiece in the form of Sacrament [Epic]. It would be their second major label offering, and they launched the Unholy Alliance tour stateside with Slayer,Mastodon, and Children of Bodom in support of the record. The eleven tracks saw them somehow get even heavier, while become even more transfixing and tight at the same time.

Sacrament is a record that recoils with the kind of irresistible intensity that made Lamb of God such a monumental force to begin with. The quintet—Randy Blythe [vocals], Mark Morton [guitar], Willie Adler [guitar], John Campbell [bass], and Chris Adler [drums]—refined their attack and electrified a monster to life. Even beyond theheavy music community, the album made big waves with "Redneck" receiving a Grammy Award nomination for "Best Metal Performance." The rest of the world startedto catch up to the band's brilliance because it had gone from overpowering to undeniable on this record.

Watch the Music Video for "Redneck" from Lamb of God:





See the other artists and albums on our Top Top 15 New Wave of American Heavy Metal Albums feature!

Sacrament begins with the hushed whispers and haunting guitars of "Walk With Me In Hell," still one of the band's most powerful songs. "Pray for blood," screamsRandy as the drums and bass lock into a pummeling groove. Each element exudes a palpable darkness that's both unnerving and undeniable, converging on the finaldeclaration, "You're never alone. Walk with me in hell." This is the invitation into the group's world. "Again We Rise" is amplified by a harmonic swell and searing lead thatburns just as brightly before "Redneck," which could be the band's equivalent of "Walk," gives out another kind of "mother***ing invitation." Those are just the first three songs of this blockbuster.

"Pathetic" delivers a soaring and searing refrain as "Foot to the Throat" provides just what the title says, but in audio form. Another standout "Blacken the Cursed Sun"illuminates another facet of the band, getting eerie in terms of the