From their humble underground roots as Burn the Priest to their upcoming co-headlining tour with bona fide metal pioneers Megadeth, Virginia's Lamb of God have earned every one of their successes the old-fashion way: by paying their dues on the road, playing insane shows, and in the rehearsal room and the recording studio, making great music.
Their catalog is stacked with modern metal classics, but what is their single greatest song? We asked you, the fans, this daunting question and you came back with some fine picks. See the top five vote-getters below.
5. "Ruin"
You could pick almost any cut off 2003's As the Palaces Burn (think "Vigil," "11th Hour" and the title track) and no one would bat an eye if it appeared in the final five here, but there's a reason — and a moment — why "Ruin" is a particularly strong fan favorite. An uncontested brutally classic headbanger, it chugs violently until it hits the break — when all hell proceeds to really break loose.
4. "Omerta"
Off 2004's Ashes of the Wake, "Omerta," isn't Lamb of God's fastest or most extreme song, but it does provide Blythe with a particularly strong showcase for his lyrical brilliance. Beginning with the Rule of Honor, his witty, sharp-tongued words cut through skulls like serrated blades. Always observant and present in the moment, Blythe and his exhortations drive this tune to its high place in this poll.
3. "Laid to Rest"
The second entry here from Ashes of the Wake is made for the pit. Not to say any LoG song isn't, but "Laid to Rest" just has a certain je ne sais quoi about the gripping drum beats and catchy guitar bridges that make you want to jump into the fray, throwing care to wind, risking life and limb. Indeed, Blythe's words could be read as a call to arms to do just that: "Destroy yourself, see who gives a fuck!"
2. "Walk With Me in Hell"
Sacrament opener "Walk With Me in Hell" is a straight-up anthem. Dark, powerful and underhandedly positive and supportive, it twists and turns, builds and explodes, full of diverse parts, all killer, no filler. As it should, the majestic mosh-pit roar-along pulls the listener along a dynamic journey through hell and back.
1. "Descending"
Penned by guitarist Mark Morton, "Descending" was originally met with apprehension by his bandmates when he brought it into rehearsal. As it's not hard to imagine why: the epic Sacrament standout doesn't follow the usual knotty and virtuosic LOG formula, instead leaning on a relatively simple repeated riff. But when coupled with Randy Blythe's epic vocals, and placed within the swelling structure of the song, the result is, in Morton's words, "a banger." If he feels vindication every time the band plays it live to enthused fans, he should be overjoyed by the fact that it got the most votes of all here.
A few of your choices feature some of the riffs that guitarist Mark Morton is most proud of. Below, check out what he has to say about each and learn the stories behind them.
