Reviews list for God Forbid - IV: Constitution of Treason (2005)

Lamb of God, Shadows Fall, Unearth, and Killswitch Engage are all known as founders of the New Wave of American Heavy Metal that have exploded into fame thanks to MTV2 Headbangers Ball. However, God Forbid have never achieved as much as success as their peers and end up missing the tour that would bring them to fame.

God Forbid wouldn't give up or waste anymore time though, so they recorded an album more superior than previous albums and taking them to almost the same level as their NWOAHM peers. IV: Constitution of Treason is a discovery for a new young metalheads with all the band's brilliant talents and compelling songwriting. It is a concept album about falling civilization, and I'm writing this review when my country's about to be locked down due to coronavirus, so the timing couldn't be better than this!

This album has 3 multi-song articles, "Twilight of Civilization", "In the Darkest Hour, There Was One" and "Devolution". Beginning and enhancing the "Twilight of Civilization" is "The End of The World", beginning with an epic acoustic rising to electric intro as a sign of everyone first hearing of a deadly virus that's spreading all over the world. As the actual heaviness begins, everyone outside panics and begins running to their respective homes, unaware that the virus has caught up with most of them. Then it's on to the strongest track of the album, the headbanging "Chains of Humanity", binding together extreme Megadeth-like riffing with an intense yet melodic chorus. The "STRENGTH! BEYOND STRENGTH!!" bridge with Byron Davis’ shouting really gives the song more commanding force, as the government begins planning their ultimate motive to stop this plague of injustice, but it never succeeds. "Into the Wasteland" is also crushing and heavy with a ripping solo by Jason Suecof, producer of this album and some Trivium albums, great soundtrack for when the virus infects and kills almost everyone in their homes.

"Lonely Dead" begins "In the Darkest Hour, There Was One" with headbanging riffs for a minute followed by a catchy lead. The lyrics serve good metaphors for this part of the scenario where after the virus apocalypse, the remaining living people mourning all of the dead victims. Byron Davis continues his screaming while the Coyle brothers sing cleanly in the chorus while doing some great guitar work. Pretty cool post-solo riff! And that catchy lead riff returns again at the 4 and a half minute mark. Satisfying! The pretty piano outro was played by the Coyle brothers' dad Kevin Coyle. Those brothers really got their music talents from their Dad, did they? There's more vicious attack in "Divinity" with a hammering riff that pounds their peers hard with more unforgiving vocals. "Under This Flag" continues the pummeling riffing. The chorus is basically just a breakdown that shouldn't be taken farther. Then it slows down with a new repeated riff. It's not the best transition but it's OK because of Byron's solid vocals. Then the chorus breakdown and the slower post-chorus returns again. Then all this next slow eerie section has is solitary guitar and vocals that rise in tension, with the guitars at some parts of the section becoming massive and the vocals return to screaming. Predictably repetitive, but works for me! "To the Fallen Hero" is an anthem with crushing guitar tones and a sing-along chorus that tributes to the fallen government who tried their best to stop the virus but were overpowered by the virus and were infected and killed, leading to the downfall of the entire country and later the world.

"Welcome to the Apocalypse" begins the "Devolution". It's a slow depressive ballad that reflects the somber scenario where the sole survivors look at the aftermath of the apocalypse and don't know what they can do now. Towards the end, there's a political narration. The best song here is the title track, having the right heaviness for the riffs and the right attitude for the vocals. At this point, seeing no point in moving on through this barren world, the remaining survivors decided to fight each other to the death until one man remains. "Crucify Your Beliefs" keeps going from the previous track with a content feeling. After all the other survivors killed themselves in that fight to the death, the last remaining man on Earth wanders around the abandoned city. Feeling lonely and losing all hope for life to ever go on, he climbs the stairs up to the roof of a skyscraper and jumps off to his death. During the piano outro, we visualize one last look of the Earth, now abandoned and lifeless, all due to that deadly virus.

Every song has staggering attention and detail, and very minimal flaws. I wish metalcore bands would put as much effort as God Forbid did in this album, so the genre can be respected more. While metal bands nowadays wanna keep relieving the 80s, God Forbid delivers an album that never has any happy ballads and instead focuses on heavy songs based on society's downfall. It's rare to find this much talent and integrity. IV: Constitution of Treason is another timeless classic that would be mentioned for many years even when the world collapses in the coronavirus, but we certainly will never let the virus take control. Do your part to keep the world safe, and also enjoy this album!

Favorites: "The End of The World", "Into the Wasteland", "Lonely Dead", "To The Fallen Hero", "Constitution of Treason"