New American Gospel

New American Gospel is the second album of Virginian metal band Lamb of God, released in 2000. New American Gospel was the first release with Willie Adler on guitar.

Prosthetic Records reissued New American Gospel in 2006. It is remastered and remixed with four bonus tracks. The remastered version contains a note on the inlay that explains why the sound of the album is less polished than their newer work. According to the inlay, it was in part due to time constraints as well as heavy drinking. It has sold over 100,000 copies in the United States.

"Black Label" was released as a single.

Song rationales

In the May 2006 issue interview with Revolver about the album reissue, guitarist Mark Morton and vocalist Randy Blythe talked about the meanings of the song on the album and information about them.

"A Warning"

“	"A Warning" is one of my favorite tracks on that record. People forget now, but it was a little harder to be a fucking weirdo back then, You know what I mean? Now it's not so much of a big deal - you see frat boys with Slayer shirts or Slipknot shirts on, or whatever. But that song was about people looking at you as if you were a freak, metalhead, a punk rocker-whatever—and them being like, "Oh, my god, what a fucking loser freak!" and you just saying, "Yes, I am, so screw you."	”
—Blythe

"The Black Dahlia"

“	It seems kind of typical for guys in bands to have a serial-killer fascination. I don't—I just thought that particular Black Dahlia murder case was interesting, and it kind of panders to my film noir, romantic side. I romanticize about that time a lot in my head, and I took that whole story and put it into lyrics, so I could sit around and wear a fedora and smoke unfiltered cigarettes to it later. Call women "dames" and stuff, you know? [laughs]	”
—Blythe

"The Subtle Arts of Murder and Persuasion"

“	One of my favorites on the record, and it's still in the set to this day. You can really hear my nerves in cutting the guitar intro to that song—so much so I think we actually had to fade it up a little bit. [laughs] It was a real new piece of me, and it's pretty difficult to play. It's imperfect but it came out really cool.	”
—Morton

Pariah

“	"Pariah" was written about a certain individual who used to live in my beloved city, the former capital of the Confederacy, who I did not get along with too well. He was a fucking heroin junkie and was just an awful person. I had a couple of unpleasant run-ins with him and he was just a real shitbag, basically. I despised him so much that I wrote a song about him.	”
—Blythe

"O.D.H.G.A.B.F.E."

“

Stands for Officer Dick Head Gets A Black Fucking Eye. This song was about a time when Lamb of God was stuck out in the rain and was forced to find cover from it. A while afterwards police from the San Diego Police Department came by and gave them a hard time and ended up kicking Blythe while he was on the ground laughing at them. Finally the police took all of them to jail and they were released afterwards. Blythe said the song was about police brutality and he "thanks the San Diego Police Department" for that. The song meaning explains the names at the end such as Kent State, Tiananmen, and Waco.

”

Track listing

Original release

1. "Black Label" – 4:53
2. "A Warning" – 2:24
3. "In the Absence of the Sacred" – 4:36
4. "Letter to the Unborn" – 2:56
5. "The Black Dahlia" – 3:19
6. "Terror and Hubris in the House of Frank Pollard" – 5:38
7. "The Subtle Arts of Murder and Persuasion" – 4:10
8. "Pariah" – 4:24
9. "Confessional" – 4:01
10. "O.D.H.G.A.B.F.E." – 5:15

2006 Remaster

1. "Black Label" – 4:52
2. "A Warning" – 2:23
3. "In the Absence of the Sacred" – 4:36
4. "Letter to the Unborn" – 2:56
5. "The Black Dahlia" – 3:19
6. "Terror and Hubris in the House of Frank Pollard" – 5:37
7. "The Subtle Arts of Murder and Persuasion" – 4:10
8. "Pariah (Flux)" – 4:24
9. "Confessional" – 4:01
10. "O.D.H.G.A.B.F.E." – 5:14
11. "Nippon" (Japanese bonus track) – 3:53
12. "New Willenium" ("The Black Dahlia" demo version) – 3:06
13. "Half-Lid" ("A Warning" demo version) – 2:28
14. "Flux" ("Pariah" demo version) – 4:24

Personnel

• John Campbell – bass guitar
• Mark Morton – guitar
• Chris Adler – drums
• Randy Blythe – vocals
• Willie Adler – guitar