wars – We Are Islands, After All (Spinefarm Records)

Genre: Post Hardcore

wars have come a long way in a short space of time and they are showing no signs of slowing down. We Are Islands, After All is a wondrous album that should mark the beginning of a band going places.

Spinefarm Records snapped up the band from Rugby and their debut LP is the first release on their new stable, but it doesn’t depart from the foundations laid down in their 8/10 RUSHONROCK rated EP And So The Sea Will Claim Us All.

This isn’t just a band who want to make noise, they want to make intelligent noise and there is a message hidden behind the monster riffs and the wall of sound that comes at you from the first track.

Songs such as That By Discord Things Increase point to a band that possess music ability as well as emotional intelligence – and that’s what makes wars such an attractive group to lose hours listening to. It also reveals a surprisingly whimsical side to the band as they sing ‘I look to the stars for the answers’.

But that’s all put in the past by the time Still Waters Run Deep flicks on and the wall of sound, bursting guitar and beautifully contrasting lyrics make you fall in love with wars in a different way entirely.

However the biggest surprise on We Are Islands, After All is saved for the very end and the 13 minute epic Charcoal Days which has more ups and downs than a Newcastle United season. The track is a mark of serious maturity from the young band as well as being an incredibly ballsy tune as eight minutes in the middle are dedicated to silence.

The band have risen far in a short space of time and that’s all down to the quality of the music. The start of a new year couldn’t be blessed with a better album.

RUSHONROCK RATED: 10/10 Big vocals, big sound, big future

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