ALBUM REVIEW: Manic – Wage War

Florida-based metalcore champs WAGE WAR are back with another banging album, straight off of their US tour with BEARTOOTH. This release, Manic, is a roundup of what the band has felt for the past year and a half, saying that they effectively lost their jobs which obviously came with a lot of frustration. Pairing this with the desire to try out new things with their sound, the results are an album that’s well worth your attention.

Opening with a build up and drop is always a great shout. It strengthens the anticipation of the listener and usually results in a lot of energy. The first track on this album, Relapse, is no exception, making use of WAGE WAR’s recognisable riff-heavy style and layering an atmospheric lyric from the chorus. We’re then teased with an ever increasing drum beat which then drops listeners into riff city. A quick change up introduces the amazing cleans of Cody Quistad, a defining aspect of WAGE WAR’s sound, changed this time though with the accompaniment of more electronic elements than WAGE WAR may have used previously. It’s not long though until the recognisable uncleans from Briton Bond enter the track and leave as lasting an impact as usual. The band is known for their effortless transition between clean and unclean sections, making sure to supply catchy riffs and hard breakdowns, and this opening track really ticks all of those boxes.

Next up is one of the singles for this new release, Teeth. Beginning with a whispered verse, this has been likened to one of WAGE WAR’s hit tracks, Stitch, from their second release Deadweight. This throwback to previous albums feels almost nostalgic, adding another layer of enjoyment to the listen. This band also knows how to use empty space to add emphasis, and small pauses throughout this song really add to its impact. It could be said that when it comes to choruses, the band tends to default to a clean section, which is not a negative, but it would be interesting to see their song format switched up a bit more often. Obviously they have proved themselves to be champs in creating a heavily unclean track in the past, with the likes of The River etc. but a few more heavy tracks like this would not go amiss in their discography as they’re so damn good at them.

Title track Manic switches things up a bit, focusing more on the electronic side of music. You’d be forgiven thinking you had accidently pressed play on a different band completely, but that uncertainty is completely lost when the track drops with the forceful scream of “Manic”. This is a really cool side of WAGE WAR to see, almost sounding like artist CORPSE in parts, albeit only briefly. One word to describe this track is dynamic. It has the potential to become a high standing favourite off of this album, and it’s great to see the band trying something different whilst also keeping their loved sound.

Death Roll is another certain stand out on this album, making a massive entrance with harsh guitar notes plucked to within an inch of their lives. Definitely bringing the heavier side of the band back to light, we are gifted with some brilliant growls from Bond, and the guitar and drum work throughout this track are immaculate. Blessing us even more, we get a tuneful guitar solo in the latter half of the song, finished off with a beat created solely for the purpose of a good headbang.

The last track on the album, If Tomorrow Never Comes, is another one that ticks all the boxes of what this band is capable of. The magic of this band is just how every element works so well together. Having the two vocalists mixed with the hard hitting riffs and rhythmic drum beats just results in a really enjoyable sound that will only gain WAGE WAR more and more fans worldwide.

Rating: 8/10

Manic is set for release on October 1st via Fearless Records. 

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