Omens
| Lamb of God
Omens
Omens is the ninth studio album (eleventh if including those under the name Burn the Priest) by American heavy metal band Lamb of God. The album was released on October 7, 2022, through Epic Records and Nuclear Blast. It was produced by Josh Wilbur, who has collaborated with the band since 2006. -Wikipedia
Critic Reviews
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Kerrang!
In 2022, Lamb Of God have their feet firmly under the table of unshakable metal big-lads. But like Slayer and Megadeth before them, they've both got there and stayed in their seat through an ineffable ability to kick you expertly in the nuts every time, even years after they first did it. And, actually, the omens were all there to tell you that.
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Metal Injection
It just goes to show that, as zeroed in as Lamb Of God are on what makes them so definable and exceptional, there's always room for something to be both surprising and engaging. But that's not to say that the familiar is all bad; even with the one cold zone on the album, the slightly too formulaic "Greyscale," the band matches it in spades elsewhere with thumping pace setters like "Ditch" and "Ill Designs" to show us that there's still plenty of good left in what makes Lamb Of God, Lamb Of God.
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Brutal Planet Magazine
Omens is all killer, no filler. They didn’t make a visible effort to include any ballads or radio friendly tracks on the album. There are a couple of brief moments where Randy sings melodically on “Nevermore” and there is a melodic guitar intro on the last track “September Song” but outside of these 2 moments the record is a strictly thrash metal affair. Pound for pound this is one of the best “mainstream” guitar metal records I have had the pleasure of listening to in 2022 and it is definitely on my top ten list.
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Riff Magazine
Lamb of God delivers unrelenting ferocity on ‘Omens’.
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Distorted Sound Magazine
The choice to record the album the way they did has proved wonders as their natural aggressiveness is evident on every track and it gives the whole album that hit of unrivalled emotion that LAMB OF GOD want you to feel while listening. Omens is another incredible album to add to an already stacked back catalogue that features just enough subtle additions to keep the band still sounding as fresh as ever.
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Consequence
While Lamb of God fell into the pit of pandemic creation like many other bands, they’ve done something just a little bit different. Sure, they’ve got a knack for entirely too realistic takes on micro and macro issues. But this time, the package they’re delivered in is incredibly tight, flashy and evidently abhorrent in its messaging — we’re all doomed, but at least Lamb of God make it sound good.
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The Razors Edge
Twenty two years in Lamb of God deliver as powerful an album in 2022 as they did in 2000. Roll on their December UK tour!
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Louder
So, is Omens the idiosyncratic masterstroke that Mark Morton promised? Almost. It’s a halfway house between what works and some new sparks of experimentation. Its successes make the odd misstep all the more pronounced, but if this is the gateway to new sonic pastures for Lamb Of God, how can you not get excited?
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Rock N Load
mens is up there with the best that this band have released, in fact this has the potential to be the best Metal album of 2022 and following a truly blistering headline slot at Bloodstock Open Air this year, the upcoming UK tour is going to destroy.
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Ghost Cult Magazine
Notably the guitar work is absolutely superb throughout, Lamb of God have always been known for their outstanding riffs, and on Omens there are some cracking examples with the groove-heavy chorus of ‘Greyscale’, and on the rolling chorus of ‘Gomorrah’ where the production on the tone is sublimely crisp. And while Lamb of God may never again quite reach the heights of the standards they set on As the Palaces Burn and Ashes of the Wake, arguably their finest works, Omens remains stands tall as a solid addition to their catalogue.
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Wall of Sound
As a Lamb of God fan this is a killer record, showcasing what the band are known best for. It’s not going to convince those who aren’t in the congregation to convert to the Lamb of God flock. As one of the most prominent shepherds of American Heavy Metal, this is a damn fine album that is worth repeat spins.
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Revolver
Lamb of God are at a point in their career where they don't need to outdo themselves. They've already made enough kickass records to be able to sit back and play the hits for as long as they'd like, but that's not their vibe. Clearly, they'd rather continue to make bangers. Omens is a banger.
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Metal Planet Music
Unpredictable, untamable and full of different energies that encapsulate their message of the current dimensions of society, Omens is a stunning new offering from Lamb of God.
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Screamer Magazine
Even after 28 years of existence, the band continues to reach new heights, as evidenced by Omens. Lamb of God will be at the forefront of the metal scene’s expansion for the foreseeable future with no signs of slowing down.
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At The Barrier
Lamb Of God are back with Omens; another fine slice of heavy metal from the veteran Virginian rockers.
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Sputnik Music
Pleasingly, Lamb of God has found a new stride and shaken out some of the new kinks presented in the self-titled. More likely they've simply found their groove again and are less willing to simply autopilot their way through the next few albums. It’s good news for fans, and even better news for Lamb of God. If they keep going with their current trajectory, Omens will be credited as the new ground zero to which this tower is built on. Lamb of God still exists apparently, and so does America’s new wave of heavy metal.
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Metal Sucks
In a dystopian world where division and doom reign, Lamb of God’s Omens succeeds.
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Spill Magazine
Without a weak moment on the album, Omens stands above 2020’s Lamb Of God simply for the mere reason that they refused to play it safe this round. Rather, Omens feels like Lamb Of God have picked up from where they left off on VII: Sturm Und Drang. Their use of melodic passages – while not as involved as in 2015 – elevates Omens as the band continues to evolve its sound, all without sacrificing its dark tone and bombastic nature. Ultimately, Omens marks a progressive and promising step forward for Lamb of God.
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Metal Wani
Overall, I was impressed with the takeaway from ‘Omens’. The album brought throat punching power. 'Omens' is a must-hear album and I love the familiarity in sound, but I love being surprised by some of the changes in their direction even more.
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Tuonela Magazine
If the band’s previous 2020 outing did rather vividly seize our attention upon its release amidst all that global chaos, simply by being so damn brilliant, its successor does not need to settle for playing second fiddle. By way of defying the laws of common decency, it’s even more brilliant.
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KNAC
One of the best tracks on the whole album is also its shortest, “Denial Mechanism” going full d-beat and allowing Blythe to indulge his first love, which is punk, and also allowing Cruz to break out of the box that LAMB OF GOD have made for themselves. Like I said - they are very consistent - and on Omens there are no real risks to be taken. And why should there be? This band is massively popular and doesn't seem disingenuous in the least. They aren’t masquerading Dad rock as being edgy (I’m not even saying the name), and they’re not wearing gym gear (see previous refusal). LAMB OF GOD is unapologetically being themselves - and who they are is larger than life.
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Rock Sins
Omens is a staggering return to form for the Richmond collective. Each moment of this album serves a purpose, and that purpose is to confront the realities of the world around us. It isn’t a protestation record by any means. It is a not-so-subtle order to the listener to reflect upon their own circumstances and feel something other than apathy towards it. To that end, Omens is the most insidious and vicious LAMB OF GOD have been since Wrath. A welcome return of one of the world’s best metal bands.
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Pixstory
In ‘Omens’ Lamb Of God have not changed a bit but they still manage to keep things fresh and burning with a raging fire that makes it both a banger and an impressive album that successfully showcases the full range and scale of the band’s abilities.
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Get Rocked
Omens is a great example of a band like Lamb Of God aging like a fine wine and still being strong as ever.
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Markus' Heavy Music Blog
‘Omens’ is an album of this time. If the purpose of art is to transport emotions, then this album is a very accomplished example. Anger and resignation, despair and a spark of hope; the band has packed all this musically and lyrically into ten brute metal anthems. And eight points go to — Lamb Of God.
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Stereoboard
Other than a few standouts, it’s very much Lamb of God by numbers. But nobody does Lamb of God as well as they do. Muscular grooves and gravel-throated vocals are very much their forte and ‘Omens’ has them in spades, along with some twists that shake things up a bit without corrupting a winning formula.
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Metal Digest
‘Omens’ has plenty of speed and those traditional Lamb of God signature moves. The “Lamb of God Riff” is all over this album. However, in this album, they’ve added such a range of dynamics to that speed and their signature style. Not once did I become numb to the pace or become uninterested in the guitar parts. The groove is infectious and constantly progressing to keep the album interesting. ‘Omens’ is a pleasure to listen to. Of particular note is the closing epic ‘September Song’.
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Invicta Magazine
Lamb of God are always going to be Lamb of God, and Omens does nothing to sour their legacy as it is perfectly acceptable in the canon. But when you’re capable of exceptional, and showing that you’re still capable of exceptional, acceptable is always going to seem never enough to most.
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Midwest Rewind
Overall, this album is great! The all-out sonic aggression leaves your senses feeling attacked. The band seems to have their formula down and give their fans exactly what they want. Well written songs that are heavier than hell. This is obvious by the fact that the band has amassed a huge following with little to no radio airplay.
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Heavy Music Headquarters
Fans of metal need no introduction to a band of Lamb of God’s stature, but that shouldn’t dissuade you from picking up Omens. This album is one of the band’s best and a perfect example of a band that shows no signs of stopping nearly 25 years after getting started. A solid and fun effort all around.
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Sea of Tranquility
All in all, some good stuff here, it’s plenty brutal, but once again, much of this I feel like I’ve heard before from these guys. Good production overall, and Omens is sure to satisfy most Lamb of God fans who hang on every brutal note. While some may find Chris Adler sorely missing here, Cruz does a fine job in my opinion.
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Stargazed Magazine
My conclusion is that the recording as live can sometimes lift the experience for the listener because of the energy delivered by the musicians in that setting. Thankful that in this case that energy shines through.
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Rock Cellar Magazine
With this new record, the band reasserts itself once again as one of the most unstoppable forces in hard rock/metal. Dive in and release that tension with their mosh-pit-ready anthems of catharsis below.
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