Black Label

Any fan attending any Lamb of God show in the last nine years has had absolute confidence in one aspect of the set list: they’re going to close with “Black Label.” It has been such a staple for the band that I can say with utmost certainty that should they continue for another nine years, this song will never go unplayed. Why would they rob their fans of the perfect closer? From the tension building intro with that insistent piccolo snare (dundundun pop pop pop pop pop pop dun dundun) to the crippling breakdown, there is so much finality in the song that an encore would undermine it completely. It’s the damn encore-annihilator! This is your last chance to dance, motherfuckers!!! This song makes teenagers want to rush each other to butt heads. When I was just a wee sprite and I first saw the video, I thought I had finally discovered death metal. “Black Label” is violently heavy.