Along with the re-release of ‘As The Palaces Burn’, which was originally released a decade before, Metal fore-runners Lamb Of God also released a special ‘Making Of’ DVD for the album too. A little treat for their long-time fans, it marks the struggles and personal battles conflicted during the making of one of the 2,000’s most
important albums. It is the perfect companion piece that is wonderful along side the re-released remastered/remixed edition of ‘As The Palaces Burn’. This is not the first time Lamb Of God have created one of these DVD’s but this is by far one of their most insightful.
Explaining the personal conflicts and the difficulties they encountered during the making of the album, this DVD goes into great detail about the whole idea behind the album that would be considered one of their greatest works in years to come. It also charts the highs and lows that were scattered throughout the entire album making process, allowing fans to get a better understanding of the bands growth throughout the duration of making the album.
What makes this such a unique experience is that this is something that was released ten years after the album first came out, showing us how much the band has truly grown over the years. It also allows out-siders of the band, and even the Metal community, to see what truly goes on behind closed doors of what is one of the most extreme genres of music formed. This helps to highlight the anger and hatred the band felt towards the U.S government after the incidents that occurred on September 11th, 2001, a prominent subject on the album.
It features interviews with the band, Devin Townsend (whom originally produced the album) and other personnel involved with the album. But what makes this so amazing is that it helps highlight the changes the band has made since the albums release, touching upon subjects such as the addiction to alcohol Blythe once had and how those times still haunt him and also the trial that Blythe faced in Czech for the manslaughter of a fan. All of these are touched upon to show how much impact this album has had on both the band, their families, their fans and on modern Metal as a whole. Being something that was filmed years after the original album was released makes this a special release that is not only for Metalheads, but for people who have a passion for music as a whole.
This is by far one of the most in-depth music documentaries yet and the bands personal best. It captures the band and the highest point of the career facing some of the hardest times of their lives whilst recapturing the magic and momentum they felt when making that pinnacle album. It is in-your-face, shocking and upsetting that helps to show a band that has endured so much. ‘As The Palaces Burn’ was the album that put Lamb Of God on the map, helped further by ‘Ashes Of The Wake’, with their fifth album, ‘Sacrament’, solidifying their title as heavy-weights of modern Metal, but yet it was also so much more than that.
It was an album that had so much to offer but never fully delievered due to production and was something that really made the band begin to mature as a unit. This DVD helps show that, making it a highly important piece of the Special Edition release of ‘As The Palaces Burn’. Whether you love the band, love Metal or just love music, this DVD will open your eyes and will let you into the minds of ordinary people dealing with some of hardest decisions in their life. This is a great mix between the story of the album and the long process the band endured during its production and the struggles they face years after its first release. In-depth, moving and fascinating, this is everything a ‘Making Of’ DVD should be. Purely wonderful.
10/10
- Asa