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Some metal bands achieve greatness and mass popularity intricate compositions and instrumental prowess, whilst others just know how to play the industry game and rely on either marketing, radio appeal and media flirt. For Florida's finest modern metal leaders Wage War, it is certainly a bit of both, but with their latest album STIGMA finally out, it is definitely a case of playing the game masterfully at the highest difficulty. As a result, their fan base is likekly about to have a total meltdown while they likely top chart positions and dominate the airwaves all Summer, a true heresy for any trve cvlt fan out there.
Wage War's story so far has been a wierd one, at least looking at it from the outside. I did miss the fun of the early days when they stormed the modern metalcore scene as if the genre's only hope for salvation. Such was the hype back nearly ten years ago when they premiered Blueprints (2015) and followed up with the cult classic Deadweight (2017). And then, ouf of nothing the band decided to start having fun with what they do, and enjoy their popularity, focusing on their individual desires, creative freedom and personal needs, leaving aside overcomplicated riffage, breakdown obsession and general audience demands. And boy oh boy, in true modern way, the crowds when balistic at this outrageous decision.
The grumpy reddit metalcore dwellers have the tendency to switch preferences overnight and Pressure (2019) completely turned the tide for Wage War, with faultless anthems like 'Grave' labelled as a grave mistake indeed. And then COVID struck and the world when to hell, then Manic (2021) somehow made everything worse even though it was arguably better if we consider elitist standards for instrumentation and stylistic approach. This is how the band enters the STIGMA crossroad - headfirst, fully aware it is about to cause a storm and totally preprared to embrace and enjoy it to the fullest, as every contemporary act should.
At this point, if you havent rage quitted already, you know where I stand on the matter but let me lay out the positives and negatives of an album like STIGMA in the current metal climate. It is safe to say Wage War have not delivered 2024's Album of the Year, nor have they attempted to reinvent the metalcore genre or break the established norms but the key thing here is, none of that appears to have been their main goal anyway. Clarity and logic are key when approaching and enjoying this album, a reflection of a band simply loving who they are and what they do for fun. If this still uspets you, there are far bigger problems that need addressing than the reduction of intricate riffs or filthy breakdowns.
Those who disliked Pressure or Manic definitely would not suddenly like STIGMA, and although there are plenty of nods to those early raw metalcore days of the first two records, the direction of Wage War's fifth album is clear. It was clear right from the start with the questionable choice of lead single in the slightly underwhelming 'MAGNETIC', and as a result those who are overly critical will find certain tracks a bit lazier and formulated but even they serve a specific role in the album as a whole. Again, it is about that priceless simplicity, directness and balance between "careless" fun and "serious" musicianship.
With STIGMA, Wage War are expected to lose more of their "old" fanbase and attract an even bigger audience in the process, a natural process for every contemporary whatever-core band that wishes to grow. With all its ups and down, the LP as a whole is an unstoppable party, supercharched with mixed emotions, moods and themes, and delivered with style, purpose and logic. For every radio-friendly 'MAGNETIC', 'BLUR' and 'HELLBENT' there is a raging banger like 'NAIL5', 'TOMBSTONE' and 'SELF SACRIFICE', and right inbetween lie arena anthems like 'THE SHOW'S ABOUT TO START', 'HAPPY HAUNTING' and 'IN MY BLOOD'.
Against all tracks that appear lighter or weaker compared to their older stuff, there are numerous explosive moments and powerful nuances that make STIGMA a perfectly concise and deeply enjoyable modern metal record, the type that people actually come back to. There are plenty of memorable hooks and energetic grooves, infectious choruses and pit-starting callouts, well-timed electronics and industrial vibes, even a couple of outstanding breakdowns for the core connoisseurs and headbanging challenges. In other words, there is something for everyone and countless more positives emerge as one digs deeper into it.
Approaching this record, I was expecting to be bored to death by Wage War's anticipated "return to roots and top form" or another snoozefest of a "proper album". Instead and luckily, we got exactly the opposite with STIGMA - a fresh and vibrant modern metal record that is not afraid to flirt with mainstream trends and without ignoring its groovy and heavier side, embracing metalcore's best features and neglecting those that almost killed the genre some years ago; an LP that shows Wage War at peace with who they are and what they want, that will likely serve as a stepping stone to an even brighter future.
Wage War - 'STIGMA'
Country: United States
Released: 21 June 2024
Label: Fearless Records
Tracklisting:
1. THE SHOW'S ABOUT TO START
2. SELF SACRIFICE
3. MAGNETIC
4. NAIL5
5. BLUR
6. TOMBSTONE
7. HAPPY HAUNTING
8. HELLBENT
9. IN MY BLOOD
10. IS THS HOW IT ENDS?
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