EP REVIEW: As Within /// So Without – wars

As Rugby based quintet WARS start gearing up towards their second full length release, a four track blast of new material seems like the ideal ice breaker. As album number two is pencilled in for the back end of 2019, As Within /// So Without is a more than palatable taster for what may be round the corner for the Midlands boys.

It’s worth noting from the off that strictly musically, this EP is a fair few steps ahead of its predecessor We Are Islands, After All. Here we find WARS with a much tighter, more intelligent grasp on who they want to be – as opposed to the half way house they sat in on their first effort. From production quality, all the way down to the blend between Rob Vicars and Sam Barnard‘s vocal attacks – this is a step up.

EP opener Scorn And Fidelity is your classic playground of melodic heavy music; desolate screams, down-tuned guitars, and a mighty hook of a chorus – WARS have a future in this space. Not quite hitting the levels of WAGE WAR, but by the same token never doing themselves a disservice, if the five-piece are able to find their own unique split in the head space of metalcore they’re a band that’s potentially on to a winner. In A Mirror, Dimly and Little Death often sound too much like slightly heavier versions of WE ARE THE OCEAN to be hits. On Being More however has much more strength to its bones with its predictable, yet alluring changes of pace, and a carnivorous breakdown thrown in for some particularly good measure.

It still sounds like WARS are on their path to find themselves. Admittedly they’re much further down the road than they were two years ago, but the bands pursuit to the upper echelon’s is unlikely to pick up pace just yet. This is a perfectly adept EP with the odd flickering light of true potential, the future of the band is brighter than it was – but you can’t help but feel like their next album is make or break time.

Rating: 6/10

As With /// So Without is due for release January 25th via A Wolf At Your Door Records.

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