Burn the Priest - Legion: XX

2018 album from the members of Lamb Of God. RIAA-certified, Billboard chart-topping, Richmond, VA band Lamb Of God may be one of the biggest bands in modern metal, but they will never forget where they came from. Mark Morton (guitar), Willie Adler (guitar), John Campbell (bass), and Chris Adler (drums) formed the first incarnation of the band, Burn The Priest, in the winter of 1994 after meeting four years earlier as students at Virginia Commonwealth University. Less than a year later, in the summer of 1995, they met vocalist Randy Blythe and the rest is global metal history. Guitarist Mark Morton says, "To truly understand the essence of the band Burn The Priest, one must first consider the landscape in which it began: the mid-'90s. Grunge and alternative music ruled the airwaves. Burn The Priest's self-titled debut album, released via Philadelphia-based Legion Records, documented what was, in essence, a primal punk band performing metal. Ultimately, as they grew in local popularity, the five-piece chose to stray away from their name to avoid being associated with satanic metal, choosing the name Lamb Of God. As they enter their 20th year since releasing their first self-titled album as Burn The Priest, the band releases a full-length covers album that reflects on the greatness of classic punk, hardcore, crossover and noise - rock subgenres that contributed to what Lamb Of God - and indeed, the world - now view as modern heavy metal. As Burn The Priest, the band presents Legion: XX featuring tracks originally performed by Cro-Mags, Agnostic Front, Quicksand, Ministry, Bad Brains, Melvins, S.O.D., The Accused, Big Black and Richmond punk band Sliang Laos. The tracks are performed with the unmistakable precision that has kept the band vital for two decades, but ultimately harks back to the raw, punk-driven sound first explored by four unsuspecting college students and a line cook-turned-vocalist in their formative years. Produced with Josh Wilbur at the helm, Legion: XX exhibits Burn The Priest in their true element.