WAR OF AGES "Rhema"

                                                             (c) 2021 Facedown Records

1. Sleight Of Hand
2. Pyrite
3. Unspoken
4. No Altars

Leroy Hamp--Vocals

Steve Brown--Guitars

Jack Daniels--Guitars

Elisha Mullins--Bass

Kalem Luebchow--Drums

Sixteen minutes and change.  That is all you have to brace yourself for the (mostly) full-on metalcore onslaught that is War Of Ages new EP, Rhema.  16:02, is the length of the entire digital EP, to be precise.  That is not very long.  You can almost get your oil changed in the same amount of time...which, come to think of it, would be a great way to spend the time!  The point is that War Of Ages has just these four songs and 16 minutes to melt your face and pummel your body with crushing riffs, thundering drums, and harshly barked metalcore vocals.

And they do exactly that!

If you are a follower of the metalcore scene, in general, or the Christian metalcore scene, specifically, you likely have already heard half of this EP, as both "No Altars" and "Sleight Of Hand" have been previously released as singles.  "No Altars" which debuted in June of 2021, may be my favorite War Of Ages track ever, with its absolutely crushing twin guitar attack and Luebchow's massive drum sound all combining with Hamps signature vocals to deliver an absolutely scorching, yet somehow still melodic, slab of metalcore that fans of the band have likely been salivating over for several months now.  This is one potent track, both musically and lyrically, with Hamp barking in the first verse: 

"My God will set fire to your altars!  

Pray to your gods while burning in your disbeliefs!  

You'll be the first to admit that you've abandoned...

All hope in your fight for integrity!"

Before the melodic pre-chorus sings:

"Oh, God, eternal

Reach down, You see all that I am.

You know my heart is yearning.

All else will fade away."

And then roaring through the chorus...

"Fall to your knees!

Bow down to the one true King!"

 

"Sleight Of Hand" is a bit more chaotic at the outset than "No Altars", with discordant guitars crashing their way through a brief intro before the machine gun burst of the drums bursts the song into its true form and Hamp comes out ferociously snarling at his angriest!  "Sleight Of Hand" of course, still maintains the melodic sensibility that War Of Ages is known to weave throughout the brutality of their songs, and an early guitar solo, along with the layered singing portions of the song, serve to set what War Of Ages does apart from so many others in the field.  Equally as crushing and intricate as "No Altars", "Sleight Of Hand" is another WoA track that has wormed its way to the very top of my faves list in a rapid ascension.  Truly great stuff here.

The other two tracks here are, as of yet, unreleased.  "Pyrite" is another all-out-angry crushfest, with some of the most interesting drum patterns on the EP, and an absolutely frantic-yet-melodic guitar line running through the pre-chorus sections.  Make no mistake, the jackhammer rhythm guitars and absolutely devastating drums (do I detect some blast beats in one brief section?!) set a tempo that threatens to launch the track right out of your speaker....until a sudden tempo and stylistic shift turn the song completely on its ear for about 40 seconds as a gorgeous, soulful guitar solo threads its way through the darkness that Hamp's throaty death growls delivers.  There is a LOT going on here, and I suspect fans of As I Lay Dying are going to find themselves hitting repeat, well, repeatedly on this one.

"Unspoken" sets the listener back on his/her heels immediately with the bluesy, jazzy style of guitars that intro the song.  Not kidding, I thought that somehow the preview tracks I was sent got mislabeled somehow by my computer, as those first 15 to 20 seconds are completely out of left field.  However, once the melodic clean vocals hit with a hint of what is to come on the chorus, my brain rights itself and is instantly sucked into this more mid-tempo metal assault.  Tempo-wise, this track treads very similar ground to what Fit For A King has done on its last couple of albums, although I have to say the solo guitar work here...along with Luebchow's absolutely insane drum work...set War Of Ages apart from their metalcore counterparts.

How this band has not become more well-known is beyond me.  Hamp and Brown have been hammering away at your eardrums and skulls as War Of Ages for nearly two decades now, and every release has been a blistering, sonic assault on the senses.  With the addition of Daniels in 2013, the band stepped things up even further, and with a full line-up that has been in place for four years, there is a chemistry that is undeniable on the last two albums and now this new EP.  Will Rhema be the step that launches the band into the realms of the metalcore elite?  There are 16 minutes and two seconds of melodic metalcore fury and aggression on Rhema that say it may just be the ticket.  If not, stay tuned, as I have no doubt that War Of Ages has even more to crush you with in the near future!

Available digitally, on a limited edition vinyl, and CD, snag Rhema today at     www.warofagesmetal.com and maybe schedule an oil change during which you can absorb the melodic ferocity of this EP!

Rating:  Short, to be sure, but blisteringly crankable!  Spin this up to an 8, with two or three more songs likely pushing this into 9, or higher, territory!  Get it now, metalcore fans!

Back To Reviews Index

DEVIN WILLIAMS "Every Eye"

 

(c) 2021 Independent Release

1. Every Eye
2. Sunshine
3. Riverside
4. Sunshine (Acoustic)

Devin Williams--Lead Vocals, Guitars

Jeremy Holderfield--Guitars

Bass--Brent Milligan

Drums--Lester Estelle, Jr.

Additional Musicians

Andrew Stanton--Guitar Solo on "Riverside"

Marco Pera--Guitar Solo on "Every Eye"

Jonathan Yudkin--Strings

When Devin Williams calls in his friends for a project, he holds nothing back!  Featuring Jeremy Holderfield (Seventh Day Slumber), Lester Estelle, Jr. (Pillar), Brent Milligan (Steven Curtis Chapman/Seventh Day Slumber), Andrew Stanton (Disciple), and Marco Pera (Amongst The Giants/Disciple), Williams has put together a powerhouse of an EP with Every Eye that incorporates elements of modern hard rock, southern rock, and melodic rock that should tide fans over until he is able to put together a full release.  Delayed by COVID and life, in general, this EP manages to pack a punch, tug at the heartstrings, and give the listener pause all within the span of three new songs.

The EP kicks off with the big Christian radio hit and title track, "Every Eye".  Taking inspiration directly from Revelations, "Every Eye" is about the return of Christ and every man, woman, and child in the world knowing of the return of the King.  But also intertwined is an observation about the state of the world today, a world which has turned from God and His Word, as Williams warns that "Now is the time to get it right, Before He steps out on the clouds", at which point "Every Eye will see You, The mystery is finally revealed...and all the world will know that You're alive!".  He echoes these sentiments in the liner notes, where he professes "I feel it's time to prepare our hearts for Jesus' return, whether it's next year or 100 years from now."  Musically, this aggressive rocker kicks off with haunting guitars chords before making way for a big, chunky guitar riff and thundering drums that punch this track into high gear.  Williams' smooth vocal delivery glides through the verse sections before ratcheting up the urgency, and dropping in a bit of an edge, on the chorus sections.  The solo from Pera is excellent, with a strong sense of melody without fading from the power of the song, and a vocal bridge with a nearly spoken delivery from Williams adds to the full scope of what the song delivers, stylistically.  While Williams has had numerous albums and songs hit multiple Christian rock charts, I have to say that "Every Eye" is very possibly my favorite track in his catalog up to this point.  Check it out.   

From here, the EP takes a much calmer turn with "Sunshine".  Introing with a soft build of guitars and strings over a bed of programmed elements, the song is, for me, a showcase for the vocal gifts of Williams.  Acoustic guitars accompany Williams' voice throughout, with strings adding to the lush feel of the track.  Following the second chorus there is a bit of a musical build that hints at hitting power ballad territory, but nothing really comes of it other than the drums getting a bit punchier in sound.  Regardless, this is a very nicely constructed song, and the string section is a really nice element here, with several flourishes from the violin section.  But, again, it is Williams' voice that is the real draw here, and there is no denying the vocal gifts of the man.  If you are willing to look for more than just the edgy rock anthem of "Every Eye", you are likely to find something to enjoy here.    

Current single, "Riverside" is up next, stylistically splitting the difference between the full-blown radio rock of "Every Eye" and the balladry of "Sunshine".  The Southern side of Williams shines forth here, with a lot of soul in the mix of this song that invokes the imagery of the old-time river baptisms.  While the tempo is not as full throttle as "Every Eye", "Riverside" hits hard, nonetheless, and Andrew Stanton of Disciple really adds to that with an absolutely stellar guitar solo.  While too short (in my opinion), Stanton absolutely shines with his string-bending fret run here, and I would love to hear these two work together again in the very near future.  In fact, the collection of talent here really shines on this track more than anywhere else on the EP, as it is filled with punch and power, but also given enough room to breathe.  Estelle's drums are snappy, and Milligan's bass work here, while not flashy, really serves to add to the power of "Riverside".  Williams is fully in command here, vocally, with his rich voice really hitting its stride in the soaring chorus, and his conviction to the music and message really comes through in his performance.  Yet another top five track in the Williams catalog for me, and a song that I really hope gets a strong run on radio.  

The acoustic offering of "Sunshine" here, to be honest, isn't staggeringly different than the original.  I'm typically not really a fan of acoustic mixes, although this is well done.  I would have far preferred a 4th new song here, but there's no harm in this track's inclusion, even if it doesn't really offer up anything new.

The production on this project is top-notch, with Holderfield and Kellen McGregor, respectively, handling the producing and mixing.  The mix is excellent, with no muddiness at all, and the guitars especially coming across as having individual, unique voices.  I also love the drum sound that Estelle brings to the table, and a big round of applause goes to the entire production team for putting so much into...and getting so much out of...these new tracks.

Overall, this is a great little EP, and at just $8...for an actual physical CD that will arrive signed by Williams...the price is absolutely unbeatable!  Head on over to www.devinw.com and snag your copy today.  Christian rockers, you will not be disappointed! 

Rating:  Again, I don't love rating EPs, but to deny the crank-factor of this little project would be foolish.  Crank Every Eye to an 8 and let's hope we get a full album in 2022!

Back To Reviews Index