By: James Southworth
Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
Out of the huge slew of new generic metalcore bands that are out there, Wage War has been one of the few exceptions to stand out of the pack. Their debut album "Blueprints" is one of the most memorable debuts of any modern band to date. It has many memorable jams and some songs that tackle pretty heavy subject matter (especially "Twenty Three" and "Youngblood"). With their sophomore album "Deadweight", the band gets a bit more accessible with more clean vocals. However, with subject matter having a thematic arc of how one gets over being broken and having a false perception of the self, this album is a considerably heavy listen in another way. "Deadweight" is an incredible progression for WW, and it's a release I may even regard as a metalcore masterpiece.
The album begins off in a relatively similar way to "Blueprints" with the intro song "Two Years". This track is a pretty great instrumental to hype you up for the rest of the album, especially in its crunchy guitar riffs and aggressive drumming. The intro transitions effectively into what is a superb opening track for the album, "Southbound". This song really has a nice punk/metal feel to it (in part due to the production work by Jeremy McKinnon of A Day to Remember) that will have your head nodding along in no time. Briton Bond's reliable unclean vocals come in strong and have a great sense of control. But the highlight of this song is definitely Cory Quistad's clean vocals- he really shines throughout the whole album. His vocals work perfectly with this track, and it helps that the chorus is unbelievably catchy. The next song is lead single "Don't Let Me Fade Away", a very powerful track with the compelling lyrics "We all hide behind a mask/We all want to be set free". This song is a clear cry out to God, with the band asking God to not let who they really are fade away. I could really feel the emotion in this song. Bond's unbridled screams and Quistad's raw cleans collide in an indescribably beautiful way in the bridge, which serves as the effective climax of the track. The winning streak the front half of this album goes on continues with one of the most brutal tracks, "Stitch", which has a clear nu-metal influence. I didn't think a song could make me head bang as much as "The River", but this one does the job. The guitar riffs in this track are just delightful, and the multiple breakdowns come in at unexpected points in the song; guitarist Seth Blake kills it here. Seth Kluesener's drumming patterns here only serve to make the song more interesting.
In an album with so many awesome tracks, it can be hard to identify one as the best. But there's no doubt in my mind that "Witness" takes the cake for the best track. This one shifts effectively between the soft dynamics of Cory's vocals to the intensity of Briton's screams. The musicality of this song is really tight; everyone is at their absolute best here. Lyrically, this song is a gem as well, with the band having the mature realization that in order to become a better person they have to get brave through the hardest parts of their lives: "Now I see/I was broken to be made a better me/Had to learn to let it go and let it be/Sometimes we’re too blind to see". Cory's vocal delivery of those lyrics is hauntingly gorgeous, and he lets the deep implications of those words really sink in. This track is nothing short of powerful, and is easily one of the best songs of the year. The title track comes next, and it is definitely the most intense song here. It is probably the most fun track on the album; it's so easy to jam along to. I know this one is going to work well in a live setting, especially in the shout-along chorus that is accessible and enjoyable to all metal fans. The following track "Gravity" is the softest song Wage War has done to date. They actually take a risk here by going more of a soft rock route, and Cory takes over the vocals for most of the song. The payoff is nothing short of incredible, as this song is another major highlight. Cory proves yet again that he is one of the most capable clean voices in the modern metalcore scene. His delivery here is filled with emotion, especially in the chorus as he says "Pull me close I feel the water reach around my neck/Don't let go just show me that there's better days ahead/Make me see I'm only half the person I should be/Pull me close set me free from this gravity". I could feel the desperation in this song, as this is another clear plea to get close to God, because without him we are broken. I love that Wage War is delivering this much needed message, and it's done so in a way that isn't cheesy or overblown. The lyrics are written in a subtly so they can relate to a wide variety of people. Musically, it's fitting this song stays soft for the most part, although the brief shift to more intense guitar riffs works naturally.
"Never Enough" feels like it could fit naturally onto the more intense "Blueprints". This song is a bit more of a traditional metalcore track, but it works well where it is in the context of the album. "Disdain" really stands out in the latter half of the album due to the clear influences it draws from Slipknot. This song is only about two minutes long, but I felt its intensity for every second. This song is the most angry on the album, as Briton expresses his uncompromising hate for violence. I think pretty much everyone can relate to the well-written commentary on this track. Also, the breakdown is a delight to behold. Another major highlight appears in the tragic "My Grave is Mine to Dig". This song conceptually goes back to the idea of brokenness being a result of us not living up to the full potential of who we could be. While the band acknowledges that brokenness can be a result of outside influences, oftentimes our perception of ourselves can lead us to willingly digging our own grave: "Death to self is much easier said than done...I had to go through Hell to find what's best in me". The journey to changing self is not easy, but the lyrics powerfully show how we do have potential to be more than just broken. Musically this song excels in combining the intensity of Briton's vocals with softer guitar tones. The album ends on an interesting note with "Johnny Cash". While not being one of the stronger tracks on the album, I still respect how different it is for Wage War, and would be interested for them to pursue songs like this in the future.
The one song on here I'm not a big fan of is "Indestructible". In its title and lyrics, it's pretty generic. It's one of those pump-up songs about rising above obstacles, and I've heard this subject done so many times. It's not an awful song, but it does not stand out in the album, as even musically it follows metalcore tropes. But, that one song does not detract from this album being an excellent release. I find myself coming back to it over and over again, and I still haven't tired of it. I think an album with a thematic arc of overcoming brokenness is needed in this world. It's clear the band feel passionately about delivering the message that we can overcome false perceptions of ourselves if we trust in God and unify with each other. "Deadweight" is right up there with other masterful metalcore albums such as FFAK's "Slave to Nothing" and While She Sleep's "You Are We" (which also came out this year- we have been spoiled with excellent metal music this year). If you haven't heard this album yet, you're really missing out!
Favorite Tracks: "Witness", "Don't Let Me Fade Away", "My Grave is Mine to Dig", "Gravity", "Stitch", "Southbound"
Least Favorite Tracks: "Indestructible"
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