[8.5/10] Capitalising on the three years the band have spent supporting their most successful release to date (2005’s IV: Constitution Of Treason), New Jersey-based thrash/metalcore act God Forbid have delivered their first DVD release, Beneath The Scars Of Glory And Progression.

.Clocking in at just under four hours in length, Beneath The Scars Of Glory And Progression draws together a feast of visual entertainment for fans of the band, with the first disc in this double disc set showcasing the five piece act’s live prowess in front of a hometown crowd at the Starland Ballroom at the conclusion of their world tour in February 2007.

Anyone that has managed to catch God Forbid live will tell you that the band are energetic and quite visual on the stage, and the live concert on offer on this DVD is no exception. The five members are given plenty of screen time, while the performances themselves are nothing short of great.

Set list-wise, the band manage to include a bit of everything in their thirteen song repertoire, with “Chains Of Humanity,” “Anti-Hero,” “Gone Forever,” “Reject The Sickness,” “Broken Promise,” “The Fallen Hero” and “Crucify Your Beliefs” the definite stand out cuts.

Despite the band’s flawless performance, the DVD does have a couple of minor issues. The editing at times is a little too fast paced, while the audio from the crowd is a little too muted. But complaints aside, the show is a great representation of God Forbid in the live forum.

Finishing off the first disc are the six promotional video clips the band have made to date: “Better Days,” “Anti-Hero,” “Gone Forever,” “The End Of The World,” “To The Fallen Hero” and “Chains Of Humanity.” Once again, the audio levels between them all are a real letdown, with the differences sounding quite significant, and posing a real threat for the speakers if those watching are unaware.

The real highlight of Beneath The Scars Of Glory And Progression however, is disc two, and the band’s documentary Rated R For Real. In just over two hours, the band members talk about their humble beginnings, right through to their current success. Throughout the documentary, it’s revealed that the band are very much a tight knit group that have gone through more than their fair share of trials, and who have yet to reach their peak in terms of commercial success. There’s plenty of laugh out loud moments (especially the less than serious ‘Re-enactment’ moments) that pop up throughout the documentary, which only helps to further illustrate the band as a group of musicians who are keeping it real, rather than portraying themselves as rock stars.

Although there are some obvious flaws in the putting together of Beneath The Scars Of Glory And Progression, overall this is one value packed DVD, and one that fans of the New Jersey outfit shouldn’t be without.

www.godforbid.com