Review of War of Ages - Self Titled

“The greatest single cause of Atheism in the world today is Christians…”

Great opening quote on this Eerie, PA band’s debut album, but maybe “The Greatest single cause of metalcore saturation in the world today is generic bands…” would have been more appropriate.

Here is yet another Christian metalcore album from Facedown’s farm league label and while it does everything right for the metalcore genre, by the time it hits its stride several songs into the album, you realize you’ve heard this album before from Foreknown, Bloodlined Calligraphy, Scars of Tomorrow, Last Perfection and As I Lay Dying, to name a few; a basic hardcore premise mixed with some melodic European noodling, some decent hooks, some breakdowns, some gang chants and some clean vocals. Ho Hum. That’s not to say War of Ages are bad, far from it, but even I am reaching my metalcore limit and for me to enjoy a new metalcore album, it better really stand out and War of Ages do not.

After the well-stated intro, the next three songs (“Stand Your Ground”, “Brothers In Arms”, “False Prophet”) blow by with literally no character at all, barely registering with me as I listen trying to find something defining. They all have a varying degree of chug, canter and soloing, but it's as generic as generic can be. Even the acoustic intro of “Only The Strong Survive” sounds clichéd before it lurches into a by the numbers hardcore stomp, complete with bar ending flourishes. Even the album's burlier moments are sapped by dry, stale production as “My Solitude” shows between forced harmonies.

Now, at around “Battle On”, War Of Ages start to show song writing chops with a very Frail Words Collapse…. mix of heaviness and actually dramatic, emotive melodies. Though the mantra - too little too late - holds true, “Battle On” does show that War Of Ages can deliver something standout. Even the resurfacing acoustics that start “One Day” show some individuality and build the track into something far more than blatant generics. The last part of the album seems to show that War of Ages seem better at delivering slower, more controlled, dramatic pieces rather than galloping plagiarism or forced hardcore machismo as tracks like the aforementioned one as well as “Broken Before You” and the surprisingly effective and aptly titled “Second Chance” show to end the album.

Though the album saves grace with its last few tracks, it’s still mired in relative mediocrity and hindered by an underwhelming production. That being said, I may sneak a peak at a future album to see if they rectify those problems as well as build on this album's latter momentum.

Release Details

War of Ages

Self Titled

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