Florida’s Wage War have spent the last two years under attack from fans for adopting a more commercialised sound on their last album, but their new single released today has made an intense statement on their metal credentials. ‘Song Of The Swamp’ arrived to critical acclaim earlier, along with news of its parent EP ‘It Calls Me By Name’, releasing in April.
After forming in 2010 in Ocala, Florida, the band released debut album ‘Blueprints’ in 2015, breaking through off the back of singles ‘The River’ and ‘Twenty One’. The LP was an explosive hit of raw, unrelenting metalcore, shedding all nuance in favour of a direct assault. Their trademark sound was one of monstrously heavy verses leading to huge anthemic choruses. In 2016 the attention it garnered brought them on tour to the UK and Europe supporting heavyweights The Amity Affliction, Northlane and Stray From The Path.
On each album since 2017’s ‘Deadweight’ their sound mellowed gradually, with electronic elements seeping in, clean vocals becoming more frequent, and the overall polish of the mix becoming so sterile that most of the character was washed away. Following the launch of their fifth and so far last album ‘Stigma’ in 2024, fans were starting to label the band as “Octane-core” – a demeaning label associating them with the more radio-friendly metal music played on US digital station SiriusXM Octane.
With the release of ‘Song Of The Swamp’, they’ve shaken all the taunts away and unleashed something far darker than anything else in their catalogue. The track is ferocious in all the right ways – harsh vocalist Briton Bond sounds utterly demonic, the bass is earth-shattering, and the pounding drums do not let up. Wage War describe the song as “the tone-setter” for the full EP, saying “’Song Of The Swamp’ is rooted in where we’re from. Driven by Florida and the raw aggression of nature, it’s a heavy track built on tension and hostility.”
If this sets the benchmark for what’s to come, the full 5-song feature is sure to be a serious display of force. The band say “’It Calls Me By Name’ is about being drawn to your roots. This isn’t a concept EP but is meant to live in its own world. Five tracks shaped by Florida, the swamp and the relentless aggression of nature. Built heavy, but still driven by the hooks that have defined us. It’s our signature sound amplified and pushed further into metal than we’ve ever taken it.” The EP releases on the 17th of April, with this track listing:
1. Song Of The Swamp
2. 4X4
3. Blindfold
4. Karma
5. Purify
The band hit the UK last Autumn on Architect’s headline European run, wrapping up their ‘Stigma’ touring cycle. A further announcement this afternoon revealed US tour dates in support of the EP, running through April and May, with tickets on their web store. ‘Song Of The Swamp’ is available now on streaming platforms, and ‘It Calls Me By Name’ is available for pre-order through the bands official channels here.
View this post on Instagram
