“Manic” by Wage War | Review

January 19, 2022 Leave a comment

album released October 1, 2021.

A little over two years ago, Wage War dropped their third album, “Pressure,” which was one of my favorite albums that dropped that year. Earlier in 2021, the band has been preparing to follow it up with their newly-released fourth full-length – “Manic.”

“Relapse” kicks things off with riffs reminiscent of Wage War’s metalcore roots, and it brings a standout lyric early on in the record (“I take one step forward, then two steps back, till I run out of time in the hourglass”). The mix of melodic vocals in the verses and choruses with the heavier pre-choruses and the breakdown towards the end showcases a little bit of what listeners can expect from the tracks that follow. Second up is the single “Teeth,” which also displays the juxtaposition between the more melodic aspects of their sound (such as the irresistibly catchy chorus) and the heavier ones (shown through the sections surrounding those choruses). The song is an ode to a friend who stabbed you in the back, explaining that this person is “accepting apologies” but would “never give it” and asking them with brutal honesty, “You only took from me but did you ever care?” 

The title track, “Manic,” is where the album gets a little bit experimental. The band incorporates elements of hip-hop and nu-metal, which immediately reminded me of music from bands like My Enemies & I and Afterlife, and these genres are blended with the aggression that the band is known for. Speaking of which, “High Horse” is up next, and it really hones in on the metalcore influences and the most aggressive parts of their sound, with monstrous riffs and furious vocals all throughout. “Circle The Drain” contains an anthemic and powerful chorus, and the lyrics deliver a crucial message. The song is all about taking accountability and wanting to do the best you can to make this world a better place. The lyric “the hurt begins with me” sums up this theme very well, showing the moment when someone “decides to be a part of the solution,” as the band said on Twitter when explaining the song’s meaning. “Godspeed” brings plenty of solid hooks from start to finish, and similar to some of the other tracks on here, it experiments a bit and mixes some glitchy effects with the harsher instrumentals. The song’s lyrics continue the conversation about cutting out toxic people in your life, as one line declares “and now you’re dead to me.” 

If you’re a fan of the aforementioned heavier aspects of Wage War’s sound, then you’re in for a treat when you hear “Death Roll.” It’s easily the heaviest on the record (aside from “High Horse”), and it seemingly incorporates elements of hardcore as well. In contrast, “Slow Burn” is way more melodic, and it feels reminiscent of “Circle The Drain” and even some of the tracks from “Pressure.” The chorus on here offers some of the strongest books on the entire record, and it’s another really memorable track.

“Never Said Goodbye” is up next, initially driven by acoustic guitar, simpler percussion, and clean vocals before the much bigger choruses crank up the volume of the instrumentals. The lyrics are very clearly all about grief, and lines like “Won’t ever heal cause I’m trying to make sense of a world where you’re not in existence” and “I know you’re home now in a better place, but I’m still searching for the words to say” will easily resonate with those who are dealing with the loss of a loved one.

Second to last is “True Colors,” beginning with a combination of both screams and gritty shouted vocals that lead up to another catchy chorus with some more great hooks, and the riff-driven breakdown will have fans joining the mosh pit if the band plays the song live. “If Tomorrow Never Comes” concludes the record, and it does so very nicely by combining both the more aggressive and more melodic elements heard throughout the album, from the brutally heavy performances in the verses to the soaring vocals in the massive chorus. 

“Manic” shows Wage War staying true to their roots at times, but also shows some additional experimentation, and much like “Pressure,” this record as a whole shows how the band is continuously evolving as songwriters and musicians.

Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under Reviews Tagged with , , , , ,

8/16/21 | Beartooth | The Below Tour | Photos + Review

August 24, 2021 Leave a comment

Beartooth Dominates Anaheim With A Sold Out Show on The Below Tour

Venue: House of Blues Anaheim in Anaheim, CA on 8/16/21

As music fans, we all have bands that we want to see. But then something seems to always come up. Whether it be scheduling issues or another show overlapping, that’s always been my issue when it’s come to seeing or photographing Beartooth. I’ve been listening to their music since their debut in 2013, but this show was my first time actually seeing or photographing them. To say it was amazing would be an understatement, and I was so glad to finally see and photograph Wage War and Dragged Under as well. California hasn’t been getting as many big tours since we reopened live venues post-pandemic. So to have a show of this caliber come through was absolutely amazing.

First up on tour was Dragged Under from Seattle, Washington. I’d best describe Dragged Under’s sound as being that perfect blend of metalcore and hardcore punk. Their sound is right up the same vein as bands like Stick To Your Guns, Beartooth, and Stray From The Path, which are all among some of my favorite bands of all time. The band started off their set with the songs “Instability” and “The Real You”, which really showcased vocalist Anthony Cappocchi’s vocal prowess and control over the stage and crowd. Bassist Hans Hessburg was an animal on stage, headbanging and jumping around the stage like crazy. The band then went on to play their newest single, “Brainwash Broadcast”, which has received critical acclaim and has garnered a lot of views, streams, and radio play on SiriusXM Octane. Ryan “Fluff” Bruce shines on this song with his’ leads and hooks, which translate well live as well. Sean Rosario on rhythm guitar adds that dynamic sound that pushes the band over the edge. Kalan Anderson is the final piece to the puzzle, slamming the hell out of those drums and keeps the beat on time. The band played 7 songs, 6 of which came from their debut album “The World Is In Your Way”. I was thoroughly impressed with their set overall, and I’m glad they could play a good number of songs as the opener. I cannot wait to see these guys shine on a stage again soon!

SETLIST

  1. Instability
  2. The Real You
  3. Brainwash Broadcast
  4. Chelsea
  5. The Hardest Drug
  6. Just Like Me
  7. Hypocondria

Up next was Wage War from Ocala, Florida. Wage War has been a band that has always been on my bucket list and has always been on my radar, but I never got the chance to see. For my first time seeing them, I was blown away. The first thing you will notice about Wage War is how much of a presence lead vocalist Briton Bond has on stage. He absolutely commands that stage and screams the hell out of those words. The band played a great mix of songs, 3 of which came from their 2019 album “Pressure”, 3 from their 2017 album “Deadweight”, 2 from their 2015 album “Blueprints”, their newest single “High Horse”, and an unreleased track “Teeth”, presumably coming from their upcoming fourth album. One of my favorite things about Wage War’s sound is the clean vocals provided by Cody Quistad, who also plays rhythm guitar in the band. Those melodic choruses on songs like “Who I Am”, “Low”, and “Alive” are what really hooked me on Wage War, and I was so happy to hear these songs live. Lead guitarist Seth Blake really adds some unique hooks to the band’s sound. I consistently find myself humming some of those down-tuned guitar hooks from their songs in my head, and they sounded even better live! Adding to those lower tones, Chris Gaylord hits deep with those groovy bass tones that keep those heads banging. Finalizing their lineup is Stephen Kluesener, who adds some dynamic beats and rhythm that really grounds the band. I’m so stoked I was finally able to see Wage War, and I cannot wait to see and photograph them again soon!

SETLIST

  1. Stitch
  2. Who I Am
  3. Prison
  4. High Horse
  5. Alive
  6. The River
  7. Don’t Let Me Fade Away
  8. Teeth
  9. Gravity
  10. Low

Finally, Beartooth came to the stage from Columbus, Ohio. Beartooth has a sound that has always been unique. They’re riff-heavy metalcore with more of a hardcore punk style edge mixed in. But what sets them apart from many bands are their melodic choruses and hooks that really drive home with audiences. For their fourth record entitled “Below”, the band set out to really go back to their roots, with an aggressive yet diverse showing of music. Beartooth opened the show with the first track off the album, titled “Below”. This aggressive start to the album and set truly set the stage for the show they were about to put on. As vocalist Caleb Shomo ran out stage and screamed out those opening lines of the song, it was chaos from then on. The band brought an extensive lighting setup and LED light panel behind them, which lit up lyrics to songs and showed dynamic visuals for each song. Caleb really honed in on his’ musicianship on this record, taking elements from each of the three previous records while also trying out some new styles as well. Bassist Oshie Bichar was on fire, constantly moving about on stage and helping with the sing-along sections. Guitarists Zach Huston and Will Deely shredded on their parts and added a lot to the band’s sound. Connor Dennis is a superb drummer and was incredibly energetic throughout the entire set. The band played a whopping 17-song set: 8 from 2021’s “Below”, 4 from 2014’s “Aggressive”, 3 from 2018’s “Disease”, and 2 from 2016’s “Aggressive”. With a wide array of songs from both the new album and the rest of the discography, Beartooth made sure to make this headlining set something new fans and old would love. I am so glad I could finally see and photograph them, and I cannot wait to do so again soon.

SETLIST:

  1. Below
  2. Devastation
  3. Hated
  4. Sick of Me
  5. Fed Up
  6. Dominate
  7. The Lines
  8. Beaten In Lips
  9. Body Bag
  10. Hell of It
  11. Skin
  12. You Never Know
  13. Bad Listener
  14. Disease
  15. In Between

ENCORE

16. The Past Is Dead

17. The Last Riff

All in all, The Below tour was an absolute dream come true. Beartooth has been a huge bucket list band for me to see for quite some time, so seeing and photographing them was a dream come true. A massive shoutout to the fantastic crew and the other bands Wage War and Dragged Under, who absolutely DESTROYED that stage! Thank you for bringing this tour to California and for presenting us with live music once again!

Beartooth | Wage War | Dragged Under

Photos + Review By: Jamie Kaufman | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

Filed under news, Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wage War w/ Like Moths To Flames, Polaris, and Dayseeker | Pressure North American Tour | Photos + Review

November 14, 2019 Leave a comment

Venue, Date, & City: Marquis Theater in Denver, CO on 10/18/2019

Florida based metalcore band Wage War are a band that have been on my radar for awhile, ever since I heard their single “Youngblood,” from their 2015 debut LP, “Deadweight.” Fast forward a few years later, and the band have now released their third album, “Pressure,” and I attended the Denver date of the North American headlining tour that they did in support of the record.

Southern California based post-hardcore band Dayseeker opened up the night. They played a mix of songs from 2017’s “Dreaming Is Sinking /// Waking Is Rising” (“Vultures” & “Sleep In The Sea Pt. II”) and their newly released album “Sleeptalk” (“Drunk,” “Crooked Soul,” “Burial Plot,” and “Sleeptalk”). The extremely catchy hooks and the overall energy the band puts into their live performance had so many people in the crowd singing and dancing along (myself included) and made the set a really fun one to watch.

Polaris was up next, and while I wasn’t extremely familiar with their music and hadn’t seen them live before, I was really impressed by their set. Their setlist was entirely made of songs off of their latest release, their 2018 debut LP “The Mortal Coil,” and included “The Remedy,” “Casualty,” “Crooked Path,” “Relapse,” “Consume,” and “Lucid.” They put a lot of energy and emotion into their performance, and the crowd was the same way, shouting the words and moshing throughout the set.

The Columbus, Ohio based Like Moths To Flames were second to last. The band played a surprisingly large amount of older material during their set, spanning from all throughout their discography, playing a few songs from “When We Don’t Exist” and “An Eye For An Eye,” as well as playing more recent material, such as “Bury Your Pain” from the double single “The Dream Is Dead,” “Nowhere Left To Sink” from their last LP “Dark Divine,” and “All That You Lost,” one of the three most recent singles the band had released since signing to UNFD.

Wage War closed out the night and put on a pretty long headlining set, also filled with songs from throughout their discography. They played a handful of songs off of “Pressure” (“Who I Am,” “Prison,” “Grave,” “Ghost,” “Hurt,” “Me Against Myself” and “Low”), as well as mixing some older fan favorites from their first two albums into their set – “Alive,” “Twenty One” and “The River” from their debut “Blueprints,” and “Johnny Cash,” “Don’t Let Me Fade Away,” “Gravity” and “Stitch” from their sophomore album, “Deadweight.” Each song of the band’s set had the sold out crowd engaged the whole time and I thought they put on a great performance.

This was my first time seeing all of these bands live, and their performances left a great first impression and made this tour one I really enjoyed.

Wage War | Like Moths To Flames | Polaris | Dayseeker

Photos + Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

Keep up with us on social media! Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube

 

Filed under Photography, Reviews, Tours Tagged with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

“Pressure” by Wage War out NOW!

September 10, 2019 Leave a comment

69262137_1253635751463601_7123897756627763200_n

One of many bands in the metal-core scene who has continued to evolve their sound is Ocala, Florida based Wage War, from their debut “Blueprints,” which showcases the heaviest aspects of the band’s sound to their sophomore effort “Deadweight,” which incorporated some more melodic elements into their metalcore and post-hardcore influenced sound. However, the band’s third LP, “Pressure,” seems to show the evolution of Wage War’s sound the most, as they include elements from past material while also trying out some new styles.

Wage War really experimented with their sound on this record, with quite a few of these songs showing influences of rock and post-hardcore. “Grave” and “Take The Fight” show off Briton Bond’s singing skills through some very raw and passionate performances, “The Line” brings a lot of energy and a bit of aggression through the instrumentals accompanying a mostly melodic vocal performance, and the closing track “Will We Ever Learn” brings some dynamic instrumentals and powerful vocals through both heavier and more melodic performances.

Although the band did experiment quite a bit with this record, there are still quite a few moments on here that are reminiscent of their older material. “Low” is easily the heaviest out of all the singles, “Ghost” brings a ton of energy through the instrumentation and one of the heaviest breakdowns on the record, and “Fury” is one of the most aggressive songs all around, from the vocals to the instrumentals. Two of the singles (and two of my favorites on the album), “Who I Am” and “Prison,” both show off the band’s post-hardcore and metalcore influences with the balance of heavier and more melodic sections. A few of these songs take influence from the more melodic elements found on the band’s previous record, “Deadweight.” “Me Against Myself” has extremely catchy melodies from start to finish and is one of the most memorable songs on the record, “Forget My Name” is just as memorable and even shows some slight alternative rock and pop punk influences in the equally as catchy guitar work, and “Hurt” is a lot slower compared to a lot of these other songs and is a very raw, emotional ballad with a huge chorus.

While Wage War’s album is certainly a little bit different from their previous two LPs, I enjoyed the amount of variety and experimentation on it, and really like the different sounds and styles they experimented with. It not only shows new sides to the band’s sound, but also shows what they are capable of.

Review courtesy of Megan Langley | Instagram

Filed under news, Reviews Tagged with , , ,