Oddly, I think it's completely the other way around. I think on Sacrament LoG found their definitive style and every album since then has been great. Palaces and Ashes were incredibly monotone, and sound like demos today when compared to the later albums.

"Why the name 'Chris-R,' for instance? What’s with that hyphen? Tommy’s
explanation: 'He is gangster.' What about this drug business, which
never comes up either before or after Chris-R’s only scene in the film?
'We have big problem in society with the drugs.'"

That picture of the Hound… can't stop laughing.