War of Ages - Arise & Conquer

by Cosmo Lee

Orthodoxy is so relative. For example, right now American politics are almost suffocatingly Christian. On the other hand, metal is almost suffocatingly anti-Christian, to the point where it's rebellious to be Christian. It's ironic how rebellion against orthodoxy in one context only creates more orthodoxy in another. Perhaps the metal thing to do is to have no metal at all: to walk one's own path.

Generational Curse
The Deception of Strongholds

As for Christianity/anti-Christianity in metal, I could care less. There are good and bad bands of both stripes. I'm against Christianity, but I'm just as against the small-minded mentality that one somehow makes a statement by flashing a pentagram. Allowing oneself to be defined by one's enemy is a poor war tactic. There's no Satan without a God; to wage war on monotheism, step one should be to deny the validity of the entire system and be atheist. The whole Christian vs. Muslim conflict is a gigantic, unfunny joke; it's really a deadly game of shadow boxing that will probably annihilate the human race. Serve Satan, or serve no master? For me, the choice is clear.

Rant aside, War of Ages are a Christian band I can get behind (except for the Christian part). Being basically Killswitch Engage meets Lamb of God (in the true sense of that phrase), they're not a band I should like. Indeed, they've taken a few albums to warm up. Their new record, Arise & Conquer (Facedown, 2008), is their best to date, mainly because they've finally turned the guitars loose metal-wise. They've essentially become a Swedish melodic death metal band - one of the best I've heard in a while. I can't stop listening to this record. The solos and harmonies are just so juicy. This album easily matches up against, say, the latest Soilwork or In Flames records. Perhaps that's not saying much. These guys, though, have a fire that their inspirations lost years ago.

I've interviewed singer Leroy Hamp on three separate occasions, and each time he was completely personable, articulate, and, most importantly, critical-thinking about his beliefs. I don't agree with them, but I appreciate anyone of any creed who can carry an open dialogue. If more people were like him, humanity wouldn't be as doomed to certain extinction. Maybe spiritually he's my enemy, but maybe I should also stop thinking of people as enemies. That mentality got us into this mess in the first place.

Buy:
Facedown