God Forbid - _IV: Constitution of Treason_
(Century Media, 2005)
by: Jackie Smit (9.5 out of 10)
There is a sense that _Constitution of Treason_ is the album that New Jersey's God Forbid have been building up to for their entire career. With the commitment and the proven dedication that they have illustrated in the evolutionary strides taken from their debut to 2001's _Determination_ and again to last year's critically lauded _Gone Forever_, it was inevitable that at some point they'd deliver a record that would truly be a strong contender for the year's top releases. That they've achieved this through one of the genre's most notoriously fallible mediums, the concept album, is even more impressive.Whether you care to pay attention to the political theories espoused on _Constitution of Treason_ or not, it's the music that carries the real weight on this album. Pummeling melodic riffing, layered over sledgehammer rhythms and man-mountain Byron Davis' most convincing vocal performance to date, make this a record that grabs one by the throat from the get-go and doesn't relent. Even if theirs is a formula that is emulated on a near weekly basis by countless more fashionable metalcore acts, God Forbid tint every note with a sheen of consummate musicianship that only briefly plunges the record into self-indulgence on the insipid "Welcome to the Apocalypse". Otherwise, _Constitution of Treason_ is a masterclass in modern heavy metal, and the sound of a band coming full circle into what could well be their _Master of Puppets_.
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