Wage War - ‘Manic’ - album review
Wage War - Manic (Fearless Records)
There are always those bands that can release new music, and you have absolutely no doubt that it will sound solid from start to finish. Wage War is one of those bands. Mania, the fourth album from the Florida group, blends the band’s previous sound with some newer elements to create an album that is full of bouncy riffs and catchy melodies that will leave you humming along for days.
It kicks off with Relapse, which sets the tone of the album perfectly. It uses electronic elements to enhance the low, droning guitar and Briton Bond’s dirty lead vocals. This song gives you little time to ease into the album itself and throws you in headfirst. At the halfway point to the album, Circle The Drain feels like one of those songs that could have something for everyone. It’s the second single released from Manic before its full release and it's probably the best choice they could have made. It’s the most radio friendly song that still appeals to the audience that enjoys heavy music – an impressive mixture that’s usually tricky to nail.
Every song follows what's pretty much the same formula: low tuned guitars, clean vocals to create a catchy melody in the chorus, then a filthy, chugging breakdown. Admittedly, the album gets more predictable as it goes on. You’re able to guess what’s about to happen or when a breakdown will cut through the track. But at the same time, if it’s a formula that works, why change it? Its pleasant and easy to listen to (if you like metalcore) and I genuinely haven’t found any flaws yet. Even in the title track, they begin with a synth pad and synthetic drums, which adds a nice contrast to the rest of the album that just throws you straight into most other songs. Of course, though, it kicks in not soon after and we’re introduced back to the ‘normality’ that is screaming and ridiculously chunky guitars.
Mania is a strange emotion. It's defined as being marked by periods of great excitement and euphoria, or as an excessive enthusiasm or desire - an obsession. This album stays true to its title and details the highs and lows that many of us have felt over the last year, going straight from harsh vocals and brutal breakdowns in Slow Burn, to the softer side of the band in Never Said Goodbye. It’s a song about losing someone unexpectedly and not being able to goodbye – something I’m sure a lot of us can relate to. I want to be able to say something critical about the album, but I genuinely cannot find it or find something about it that I dislike. Wage War have somehow managed to create something that’s equally as impressive as their previous releases and I might be in awe at it.
10/10