Fans tout God Forbid as one of the few young domestic outfits that can go shred-to-shred with overseas acts such as tourmate Children of Bodom. However, the New Jersey group's lyrical content makes it an unlikely catalyst for patriotic rallies. One of metal's only majority-minority bands, with four African-American members, God Forbid delivers lacerating criticism of the government's negligent treatment of the poor. Its recent Constitution of Treason, a concept album about the descent from widespread corruption to post-apocalyptic conditions, intensifies its protest campaign. Though it sings about discord, God Forbid excels at harmony: Singer Byron Davis' throaty bark softens during melodic multivoiced passages, and graceful dual-guitar leads complement chunky riffs.
Comments (0)