By Ray Van Horn, Jr. February 16 was the official premiere of LAMB OF GOD's documentary film, "As The Palaces Burn", at The Trocodero theatre in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, site of the band's 2005 concert video, "Killadelphia". Video footage of LAMB OF GOD singer Randy Blythe's short speech before the movie was shown can be seen below, He called the film "not a movie we're happy about, but it's an honest expression of truth." The 9.14 Pictures film was originally conceived during 2012 with the intent of following the band around the world to demonstrate the global reach of their fan base. However, the filming of "As The Palaces Burn" was interceded by an unforeseen charge of manslaughter brought against Blythe following a LAMB OF GOD show staged in the Czech Republic two years prior. The infamous indictment of Blythe and his dramatic hearing in the death of Daniel Nosek is now revealed for fans, who sat worldwide on the edges of their seats for what equated in Blythe's full exoneration. Revelatory video of LAMB OF GOD's 2010 show in Prague sheds new light on Blythe's case, as does clarification by confirmed stage diver Milan Poradek, whose testimony turned the tide of the trial. The once embattled Randy Blythe, conveyed in "As The Palaces Burn" as having beaten his personal demons and chosen a path of sobriety, returned to face his accusers in Prague following his release from a 38 day stint inside a Czech prison. States Randy in the film, "it felt like the right thing to do," though "sometimes it's not the most comfortable thing to do." "As The Palaces Burn" first presents the impact LAMB OF GOD has had upon their worldwide fan base, visiting a Colombian taxi driver who lost much of his family on the streets in drug wars and then a female metal singer in India, a country whose fans traveled as far as 24 to 39 hours away to see the band perform. Once the film changes moods by focusing on the Randy Blythe trial, director Don Argott and producer Sheena M. Joyce create high anxiety as the cameras capture Blythe's thoughts and emotions throughout all phases. Portions of the actual trial appear in the film along with behind-the-scenes footage of Blythe preparing with his defense team. The outcome, already known to metal fans, will still feel in doubt by the film's tense presentation. Appearing in cameos throughout "As The Palaces Burn" are Slash, Oderus Urungus of GWAR and Corey Taylor from SLIPKNOT. Following the Trocodero premiere, "As The Palaces Burn" will hit 350 select theaters nationwide throughout February including screenings at a handful of American and Canadian music clubs.
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