War of Ages: Melodic Metalcore Masterpiece

War of Ages seemed to start as a very harsh, yet tight Christian metalcore act in 2002. Not that the Christian part necessarily matters because honestly, without reading the lyrics I don't think it's possible to tell. Anyway, every release they've had (I believe the latest is technically their fourth album because their debut was re-released on Facedown records) has become more technical and more melodic, which is a damn good thing. I can't say how annoying it is when metalcore is looked down upon for being too repetitive because all of the bands sound the same. I got my hands on their newest album, Arise and Conquer, and all I can say is, War of Ages brings fresh meat to the table to be fully and heartily enjoyed by open-minded metal fans.

Arise and Conquer is like a non-stop battle of good against evil told through dueling guitars, thundering drums, and a fierce vocalist. This album gives War of Age's band name true meaning. The album really grabbed me as soon as I began to listen, which is always great because no one likes to force themselves to listen to something boring. The album is upbeat and head-bangable, the rhythm isn't uncontrollable and fast so you loose your mind trying to keep up. The thundering and pummeling drumming fuses nicely with the slower yet more melodic and technical guitars so I could really listen to the layers that each song had. Songs like, "Generational Curse" and "Salvation" really illustrate the band showcasing their knowledge of how great melodic metal can be fused with the fury of metalcore to make an amazingly unique sound. And even though this is metalcore, it has enough variety to keep anyone interested to hear more.

Well it looks like War of Ages has it again, they've constructed a well mixed album that blends awesome guitar harmonizing, a vicious vocal performance, perfectly clean melodies, and a sick album cover to top it all off. Compared to Pride of the Wicked, their previous release, I would say that War of Ages has matured in terms of song complexity and branching away from the traditional, old, re-hashed metalcore scene, and formed into a band who has finally found their own sound.

Focus Tracks:
Generational Curse, When Faith Turns to Ashes, Salvation, Sleep of Prisoners, Yet Another Fallen Eve, The Awakening