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May 23, 2013 |
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Live Footage
01. Laid To Rest
02. Hourglass
03. As The Palaces Burn
04. Now You've Got Something To Die For
05. 11th Hour
06. Terror And Hubris In the House Of Frank Pollard
07. Ruin
08. Omerta
09. Pariah
10. The Faded Line
11. Bloodletting
12. The Subtle Arts Of Murder And Persuasion
13. Vigil
14. What I've Become
15. Black Label
Extra Features
- Interviews with Band/Crew members
- Outtakes
- Band And Director Commentary
- Hidden Easter Eggs
- "Soundcheck" Segments
- 3 Music Videos including the uncensored version of "Now You've Got Something To Die For"
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Wow. Now THIS is what a DVD package should be all about! If all the rumours I've heard are indeed correct, initial sales of LAMB OF GOD's debut visual extravaganza 'Killadelphia' have already reached 'Gold'. Again...wow. That's generally unheard of for a band DVD period, let alone a Metal band. An uncompromising, kickass, full-throttle METAL band.
Most Metal DVD's leave a lot to be desired. For the most part you get either just the recquisite crappy live footage complete with questionable sound/visual quality and no backstage/interview footage whatsoever, or at best you get a very patchworked affair of both elements thrown together from whatever existing handy-cam-shot footage the band in question happens to have in their possession. In short...Metal DVD's are more often than not sadly not worth the effort. In recent years however that has started to change. As more bands continue to get wise to the fact that the DVD medium offers a lot in terms of how it can be used to promote an act to a wider audience, the quality level has increased exponentially. LAMB OF GOD's 'Killadelphia' is an example of a Metal band using the DVD medium to its full potential.
In a nutshell, 'Killadelphia' is broken into two overlapping sections; the first being a complete concert shot on location in the city of Philadelphia, and the second being a lengthy, and very comprehensive collection of footage detailing life on the road for a touring band, backstage antics, interviews with both band members and crew, and other both eye-opening and humorous moments from within the LOG camp.
The concert footage is among some of the best I've had the pleasure of experiencing from the comfort of my own home. I mean, I've also seen LAMB OF GOD twice now in the live setting and was blown the hell away to say the least. For once, the footage on offer on the DVD likewise manages to translate the same visceral energy and spontanaeity of the live show into the viewer’s living room. Really. This is some amazing stuff. High quality to say the least. Great, varied camera angles and superior, clear sound captured in your choice of either Stereo or Dolby Digital 5.1. Just grab a few beers, some good buds, hit play and you've got the next best thing to actually being there with the audience on your TV screen. The three music videos are likewise entertaining, the highlight being the chance to see 'Now You've Got Something To Die For' uncensored and as it was originally intended to be viewed.
As good as the live footage is however, the real treats reside within the backstage and personal footage shot while on tour. Among some of the highlights are in-depth interviews with each band member as well as the crew which allows the viewer a peak into the heads of their favourite players. I was actually surprised at just how personal and intimate the band were willing to get with their fans here. Very little is left to the imagination. These are obviously a very real, very down-to-earth bunch of guys who genuinely wish to make a connection with their audience. We get to see everything from how the band’s interpersonal relationships often turn volatile, visits from wives and girlfriends on the road, drunken, embarrassing backstage antics, physical fights, revelations, the hectic pace, fun, and trials and tribulations of international travel, and all of the real down n' dirty REALITY of what life on the road with a touring band at this level is all about.
It reminds one that behind the stage personas and technical proficiency there are real PEOPLE behind it all. There is absolutely no romance or pretension on offer. This is the real deal. All of the laughs, tears, anger, frustration, camaraderie, dissention, highs, and lows of what it means to be in LAMB OF GOD laid raw and bare as an open wound for all to see. Coming away from it all one is left feeling as though they have genuinely gotten to know these guys. A connection is made. For the band to be willing to share themselves in this manner I think shows a lot of grit and character. Applause all around. NOTE OF INTEREST: For Vancouver fans there is the added bonus of a montage shot at last years meet-n'-greet at our own Scrape Records. Very cool indeed!
In short, if you get one Metal DVD this year you can really do no better than to pick up a copy of 'Killadelphia'. Part reality-show spectacle, part road-docudrama, part concert extravaganza it will entertain you, amuse you, horrify you, and at times simply make you shake your head. A perfect balance between music, real life drama, and visual entertainment. I said once that LAMB OF GOD are well on their way to becoming the next 'PANTALLIDETH'; i.e. the next 'big thing' in Metal. This DVD only further cements my belief that they are indeed on the proverbial cusp of achieving such a level of renown. In their case it will be well-deserved too. Anyone who isn't a fan of LAMB OF GOD who watches this DVD will be hard-pressed not to become one.
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