The Duke (EP)
| The Duke | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.jpg) | ||||
| EP by | ||||
| Released | November 18, 2016 | |||
| Genres | ||||
| Length | 22:13 | |||
| Label | Nuclear Blast Records | |||
| Producer | Josh Wilbur | |||
| Lamb of God chronology | ||||
| ||||
The Duke is an extended play (EP) by the American heavy metal band Lamb of God.[1] It was released in honor of Wayne Ford, a fan and a friend of the band who was diagnosed with leukemia and died in February 2015. The EP features two new tracks "Culling" and the titular track which was directly inspired by Ford. The other songs on the EP consist of live recordings from their 2015 album VII: Sturm und Drang which were taken from their performances at Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival and Rock Am Ring.[2][3]
The EP debuted at Number 85 on the Billboard 200,[4] and "The Duke" became the bands second song to reach the US Mainstream Rock chart peaking at number 40.[5]
Critical reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Metal Injection | 7/10[7] |
| Metal.de | 5/10[8] |
Metal Injection wrote on the EP, stating:
The real meat is in the two new studio offerings. "The Duke" is obviously a tribute to Mr. Ford, and features some interesting, uncharacteristically clean vocals from Randy Blythe. There's a real 90's vibe to this song, but the riffs deftly sidestep any dubious nu metal trappings that might have sandbagged the track. Blythe even indulges in screamo affectations on the bridge which suit him immensely. "Culling" is a more traditional NWOAHM affair, a mix of mid-paced thrash and old school groove metal that features the band effortlessly rocking out. Could make a fine concert staple.[9]
James Monger of AllMusic noted that the EP "boasts a trio of live cuts and a pair of studio tracks, the latter of which should help to satiate fans until the hard-charging metal unit's next full-length."[10]
Track listing
Personnel
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.[11]
Lamb of God
- Randy Blythe – vocals
- Mark Morton – guitar
- Willie Adler – guitar
- John Campbell – bass
- Chris Adler – drums
Technical
- Josh Wilbur — producer, engineer, mastering
- Kyle McAulay — engineer
- Nick Rowe — engineer
- Paul Suarez — engineer
- Charles Park — assistant
- Nick Zagorin — assistant
- Ken Adams — art direction
Charts
| Chart (2016) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| UK Albums Chart Update (OCC)[12] | 100 |
| UK Album Downloads (OCC)[12] | 80 |
| UK Independent Albums (OCC)[12] | 30 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC)[12] | 15 |
| US Billboard 200[4] | 85 |
| Top Rock & Alternative Albums (Billboard)[13] | 11 |
| Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard)[14] | 6 |
| Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[15] | 11 |
References
- ↑ "LAMB OF GOD To Release The Duke EP In December". Metal Injection. 2016-10-19. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ Titus, Christa (2016-11-18). "On Death and Dying: Lamb of God's Randy Blythe Tells the Story Behind 'The Duke'". Billboard. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ Lamb of God: The Duke Tracks & Reviews | AllMusic, retrieved 2026-07-10
- 1 2 "Lamb of God Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Lamb of God Billboard Chart History (Hard Rock Digital)".
- ↑ https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-duke-mw0002989996
- ↑ https://metalinjection.net/reviews/lamb-of-god-the-duke
- ↑ https://www.metal.de/reviews/lamb-of-god-the-duke-ep-196280/
- ↑ "EP Review: LAMB OF GOD The Duke". Metal Injection. 2016-11-18. Retrieved 2026-07-10.
- ↑ Lamb of God: The Duke Tracks & Reviews | AllMusic, retrieved 2026-07-10
- ↑ Lamb of God - The Duke, 2016-11-18, retrieved 2026-07-10
- 1 2 3 4 "Lamb of God Official Charts Company (The Duke Chart History)". officialcharts. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Lamb of God Chart History: Top Rock & Alternative Albums". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Lamb of God Chart History (Top Hard Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2026.
- ↑ "Lamb of God Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved July 10, 2026.