EP's are often rushed out as filler releases with the sole purpose of reassuring fans that a band still exists, but groups of Lamb of God's stature don't exactly need to appease a restless fan base. We'll wait. No, The Duke is actually a fundraiser release to benefit the late friend of the band, Wayne "The Duke" Ford. To that end, complaining that this EP only offers two new tracks and a trio of rote live run-throughs would be to miss the point.
All three of the live cuts – "512", "Engage the Fear Machine" and "Still Echoes" – are culled from last year's Sturm und Drang studio release, but again, these are completist material that only the most diehard fans will listen to more than once. The real meat is in the two new studio offerings. "The Duke" is obviously a tribute to Mr. Ford, and features some interesting, uncharacteristically clean vocals from Randy Blythe. There's a real 90's vibe to this song, but the riffs deftly sidestep any dubious nu metal trappings that might have sandbagged the track. Blythe even indulges in screamo affectations on the bridge which suit him immensely. "Culling" is a more traditional NWOAHM affair, a mix of mid-paced thrash and old school groove metal that features the band effortlessly rocking out. Could make a fine concert staple.
So yeah, we'd all love a few more new tunes by one of the best metal bands on the planet, but this album is for a good cause that wouldn't wait for another 8-10 quality songs to be written, so in the giving spirit of the upcoming holidays grab your copy here.
Score: 7/10
