Grade: B

CD • Serious music fans know that Lamb of God isn't a Christian worship band but a relentless, unyielding metal band that's one of the most popular rock bands of any genre: Its 2009 album "Wrath" debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard albums chart.

The band's new album, "Resolution," doesn't deviate from its signature sound, displaying the influence of Pantera paired with crunchy, often sludgy guitars, the sound that's sometimes called "groove metal."

Lamb of God deserves credit for not bowing to the pressure to smooth away harder edges now that it has achieved popular success. Randy Blythe's vocals still sound guttural and confident here, so behold the power of the Lamb of God to take away the sins of the rock world.

— David Burger