All you need is a spark…
So you’re in a globally successful metal band and suddenly find yourself without a singer who has been jailed for attempting to have their wife murdered… what do you do?
Well if you’re the remaining members of San Diego metal core titans As I Lay Dying you take the bold sideways step of recruiting Shane Bay from Oh, Sleeper for vocal duties to form an entirely new band, called Wovenwar.
Curiosity…. Gained...
Okay it’s not THAT big of a bold step as the core formula on the self-titled album is the full throttle RIFFAGE that served As I Lay Dying so well and is still deployed to sublime effect, but is given a major melodic buff and sheen with the crooning clean vocal style (no growling to be found here).
Which brings us to the songs and once the obligatory piano heavy intro track ‘Foreword’ has served its purpose; high quality songs are what Wovenwar deliver by the bucket load as ‘All Rise’ charges out of the speakers with the afore metal core RIFFS professionally delivered, but it’s the chorus that grabs the attention as Shane’s impressive range and up-tempo bouncing melodic RIFFAGE delivers a euphorically anthemic segment.
Attention…. Held!
‘Death To Rights’ keeps up the momentum and balances of the aggressive RIFFS and melodic urges leading into ‘Tempest’, which has a more pronounced leanings on heavier metal work plus throws in gang chants and choruses for extra hooks. But it is ‘The Mason’ that wins the award for most memorable and immediate song on the album with Scandinavian inspired melo-death RIFFS and a mightily colossal chorus to die for finishing with a sublime melodic guitar section.
So, it continues with hit after hit and admittedly at fifteen tracks in length it does threaten to outstay its welcome but the sheer unrelenting quality, momentum and bone fide hooks ensures you’ll be glued in for the entire ride.
Some spark!
