Film Bio :
Fresh from their incendiary
headline tour here in the UK, Virginia metal kings LAMB OF GOD are pleased to announce
that their feature length documentary film 'As The Palaces Burn' will screen
across the UK and Ireland on March 6, in more than 70 cinemas.
Following the 90-minute film, a
30-minute Q&A with the band and director Don Argott, hosted by VH1
Classics/That Metal Show’s Eddie Trunk, will be shown. The Q&A was filmed
in Maryland, at the final show of the band’s North American tour in
support of their most recent album release, 'Resolution'.
'As The Palaces Burn' was
conceived to be a documentary focused on the power of music and its impact on
cultures around the world and its ability to bring together people of all
nationalities regardless of religious or political differences. After a
worldwide casting call, filming took place in Colombia, Venezuela, Israel,
India, and the United States. As filming reached its conclusion, the
documentary was forced to take a major turn when the band’s lead singer, Randy
Blythe, was arrested in the Czech Republic and charged with the murder of a fan
in June 2012. Granted unique access to Blythe’s continuing saga, Argott’s
filming covered Blythe’s 38 day imprisonment in Prague, his release and the
band’s return to live performances, and finally Blythe’s trial for murder in
Prague in February 2013.
Review :
As The
Palaces Burn is the new documentary film showing the tumultuous time that metal
band Lamb of God has faced over the past few years. As a band they have been
through a lot anyway, but when Randy Blythe was incarcerated in Prague in 2011
for manslaughter, things took a massive turn for the worse.
The film
opens up with the band discussing their history, looking forward to the touring
cycle of their last studio album, Resolution, and features sound bites from Slash
and Oderus Orungus from GWAR, as well as interviews with the entire band. There
is a sense of eagerness and drive from the band who have become one of the most
popular metal bands on the planet, whilst not being on the cover of every
magazine god sends.
Tour dates
and festivals across Europe were received with rapturous reviews when the band
embarked on their 2011 tour. Lamb of God is an incendiary live act and the
numerous amounts of footage show this perfectly. When the 2011 European Tour
rolled into Prague, the police were waiting to arrest Blythe for an event that
had occurred on a previous tour. The band all recount how the events unfurled
on the day that Blythe was arrested. All of the interviews with the band
members are real heart on the sleeve moments. Whilst conceding that they’ve
always not been the best of friends in the band at times, their honesty,
togetherness and openness in the interviews really hits home.
Events from
Randy’s imprisonment are told without his contribution until he was bailed out
of jail. The interviews with Blythe after he is released before facing trial
are, like the rest of his band mates, honest. All of the band talk passionately
about their sadness that a fan of theirs, Daniel Nosek, died at one of their
shows, however they are all correctly adamant that Randy Blythe was innocent.
As Randy
Blythe returned to America, he sought to put together his defence with his
legal team (at great cost), and this building of a defence offers a first hand
insight into the struggles that he faced. The band auctioned of their prized
assets to raise money for Blythe’s legal team. In the time that Blythe was back
in the States prior to his trial, he took to the stage with Lamb Of God at
Slipknot’s Iowa Festival. As the band takes the stage in the film, it is a
cathartic moment. It is also one of solidarity from the metal community.
The legal
system in the Czech Republic works differently to America’s so the legal team
talk of strategy and the final segment of the film focuses on the trial. Many
of the testimonies and evidence are laid bare from all quarters. Whilst anyone
watching the film will no doubt know the outcome, the fact that Randy Blythe
faced these charges, and faced them with dignity, says a lot about the man, and
the band. Blythe comments that case would be laughed out of court in the United
States, however that’s not where he faced the charges. He closes a small
interview by saying that sometimes the right thing to do, isn’t the easiest. Too
true. This is another signal as to the reformed character that Randy Blythe has
become. When all was said and done, Randy Blythe was exonerated. Daniel Nosek’s
uncle’s comments towards the end of the trial are sobering and saddening; as
you would expect from any family member who has endured such a tragedy. Blythe’s
reaction is one of humbleness when he is cleared. There is no cheering, just a
small raise of the thumb to signal his relief.
The film as
a whole is a fascinating cross section and expose of one of the best bands on
the planet. In addition to this, the film is not just one that metal fans the
world over could enjoy, the film is a study of how people deal with situations,
but above all else, deal with them in the correct and proper way. The band
should be commended for their openness and humbleness in allowing this film to
be made.
Words by :
Dominic Walsh
To watch the
official movie trailer, buy tickets, see the latest worldwide listings, and
learn more, visit http://asthepalacesburn.com.
For more information :
The film will
be shown in more than 350 theatres and club venues worldwide. Tickets
for many UK and Irish cinemas are on sale now, with all screenings due to be on
sale by Friday 25 January.
