Lamb of God [ tickets ]'s latest CD is a load of fun. Sure, there's all that dark imagery--with songs boasting such Halloween-worthy titles as "Walk With Me in Hell" and "Blacken the Cursed Sun"--but the end result is about as frightening as Wesley Snipes in one of his "Blade" flicks.

Kicking off with the rush of pure adrenaline known as "Walk With Me in Hell," the five Lamb lads wrap their devil fists right around the listener's jugular and refuse to let go through 11 monstrous tracks. Randy Blythe proves that he possesses the most demonic voice in town--a deep growl that could only come from the belly of a beast--as he leads the charge through such hellfire-charred tunes as "Again We Rise" and "Redneck."

The best song in this hardcore set--and the one that most clearly defines the band--comes midway through the album on "Forgotten (Lost Angels)," as Blythe rants: "I can't write you a happy song / I can't write you a sing-a-long / The only catchy hook I've got / Is the one in my bleeding gut."

Not exactly Burt Bacharach, to be sure. It's those types of lyrics that keep Tipper Gore and other overly concerned parents up at night. But metal fans can sleep soundly knowing that Lamb of God is back and the band sounds better than ever. And, if you listen closely, you'll find that this is a group with a sense of humor. That's one of the many things that separate Lamb of God from the rest of the metal horde.