LAMB OF GOD's "Sacrament" get's the remix/ reissue treatment with a full spit and shine and 3 unreleased live tracks and a short documentary.    This album planted the flag for LoG and clearly defined their place in the metal landscape.  The standout track is "Redneck", which got them a  Grammy nomination and the original album went gold in September of 2019. I met vocalist RANDY BLYTHE at the NEW ENGLAND METAL AND HARDCORE FESTIVAL shortly after the band had changed their name from BURN THE PRIEST. I'll never forget how impressive they were live and how approachable and down to earth the young, clean-cut BLYTHE was.

Unfortunately, for me, this is not a band I gravitate to on the recorded side. There is a whole family of bands in the "New Wave Of American Heavy Metal" genre that are more or less PANTERA-lite and while LoG may be the Godfathers of this sub-sector, or the first, or the best, it's still derivative. There's no denying the talent and I love seeing them live but it's not something I listen to at home.
All that being said, this is a great rejuvenation of a career-defining and potentially genre-defining work. The mix/ master is completely up to modern standards and it has the punch, warmth, and thickness that this style of metal needs without the overbearing, overly-hyped compression that can suck the life out of most mixes these days.

Sadly, the bonus tracks recorded live at the HOUSE OF VANS in Chicago in 2020 feel less than impressive, neither capturing the power of a live PA nor the raw, organic vibe of a band on fire onstage. If you are a fan of the band or just new to this style of metal, this is about as good as it gets. Definite must-have. This is a mutha-fuckin' invitation!!