Metal Underground.com

If aliens were to land on Earth and wanted to know what heavy metal was all about, we should seriously consider giving them a copy of God Forbid’s “IV: Constitution of Treason.” God Forbid’s latest offering positions itself somewhere in the middle-range of metal—it’s not overly heavy, while not quite radio friendly, either. “IV” is the type of album that nearly all metal fans can get behind.

“IV” is produced by Jason Suecof (Trivium), and his excellence is apparent once again on this album. Everything sounds just right, as the drums hit hard and the vocals leave nothing back. As far as the band goes, Doc and Dallas Coyle deliver some truly remarkable guitar riffs, and Corey Pierce does a nice job in the percussion department. Byron Davis has really come along as a lead vocalist; in fact, after "IV", he should be well regarded as one of the best in the business. God Forbid, as a unit, has no weaknesses.

The tracks on IV are relentless, starting with a bang and maintaining a high quality throughout. The opener, “The End of the World,” is a great opening track, complete with a slow-going acoustical intro that leads into a heavy-as-hell drum assault. This track could be the centerpiece of most metal albums, but it is followed by one of the top metal tracks of the last year: "Chains of Humanity." The song begins with one of the more memorable guitar riffs in recent memory, followed by Davis’ yelling “Perception…governs the democracy!” It’s just what metal should be. Midway through the album, God Forbid shows that they can be a little experimental, as they use some uncharacteristically non-metal melodies on the track “Divinity.” These vocals, though, are handled well and show off the band’s versatility. The rest of the album is filled with heaviness, as well, with tracks like the “To the Fallen Hero” and the title track leaving lasting impressions. Finally, “Crucify Your Beliefs” is a great way to end the album. It’s heavy, with another catchy chorus.

“IV” is highly recommended to all metal fans. With one of the best metal songs to hit in a while, “Chains of Humanity,” along with a barrage of heaviness throughout the album, "IV" is an essential for any metal collection. God Forbid is one of the select bands that really carry the present and future of heavy metal on their backs, and if “IV” is any indication of what the future has in store, metal fans are in for a real treat.