Author: Primož Novak
Artist: Wovenwar
Label: Metal Blade Records
Release: year_month
Length: 54:26
Rating: 4/5
Before we even get to talking about Wovenwar, we need to take a quick detour to As I Lay Dying, who went on an extended break, or rather called it quits, when their vocalist Tim Lambesis landed in prison for 6 years for hiring someone to murder his ex-wife, a plot that thankfully never came to pass. The rest of As I Lay Dying meanwhile started a new band. For one thing, Lambesis is the founder of As I Lay Dying, and for another, the guys didn’t want to play under a name that the media and fans alike had come to loathe.
So Nick Hipa (guitar), Phil Sgrosso (guitar), Josh Gilbert (bass, vocals) and Jordan Mancino (drums) needed a fifth member, and they invited Shane Blay, guitarist and singer of the Christian metalcore band Oh, Sleeper. Oh, Sleeper didn’t bring anything new to a crowded metalcore scene; the only thing that set them apart was slightly more chaotic guitars. Once the band dropped the track All Rise, the concept behind the music started to come into focus. The music itself doesn’t stray far from As I Lay Dying, and the main difference is the clean vocals that run through the whole thing.
Over a solid 54 minutes it becomes clear that Wovenwar have gone with a slightly different concept. On one hand, there are still plenty of melodic guitars, the odd breakdown slips in, and the songs are kept simple in structure. Each one, with its standout chorus, could be a hit contender. On the other hand, the aggression is gone. The rhythm section hits hard enough, up to a point, but there are no fast songs, no brutal breakdowns and, of course, none of the angry vocals Tim Lambesis used to bring. Shane Blay only rarely throws in a scream. Alongside Blay’s gentle vocals, there’s also Josh Gilbert, who handled the clean vocals in As I Lay Dying, which helped make them popular. But Gilbert’s voice only really comes through in the odd chorus, and it stands out best in the track Matter Of Time.
The guitars of Phil Sgrosso and Nick Hipa are undoubtedly the standout factor. The duo keeps the catchy melodic riffs coming, the soloing is more than up to par, and at times they serve up some simpler punk-rock riffs. In the end, you could say this is a toned-down version of As I Lay Dying. Some media outlets have even dubbed Wovenwar As I Lay Dying 2.0 for that reason. But it also shows a concept that has started to take shape and gain an identity of its own.
That identity shows in the lyrics too, which are positive in outlook, pretty much in line with bands that profess the Christian faith. At the same time, Wovenwar make it clear that they haven’t forgotten what Tim Lambesis did. The track All Rise is a more than obvious example.
The sound of the record is without a doubt one of those that give the band extra credibility. Every instrument comes through clearly. That’s probably also thanks to working with veteran Colin Richardson in the post-production phase.
You could say Wovenwar’s debut continues where As I Lay Dying stopped with Awakened. Maybe that’s partly because of the same producer. As syrupy as this album can get, you have to admit it’s good to hear that the former As I Lay Dying members, who stood out in metalcore as good musicians, have found some common ground and kept their musical journey going.
Wovenwar undoubtedly have plenty of bright moments. The songs are catchy, full of melody and emotional charge. It’s definitely a good fresh start, and judging by what we’ve heard, Wovenwar still have a lot to show.
Lineup
Shane Blay – vocals
Josh Gilbert – bass
Phil Sgrosso – guitar
Nick Hipy – guitar
Jordan Mancino – drums
Production
Bill Stevenson, Colin Richardson (mix)
Tracklist
01. Foreword
02. All Rise
03. Death to Rights
04. Tempest
05. The Mason
06. Moving Up
07. Sight of Shore
08. Father/Son
09. Profane
10. Archers
11. Ruined Ends
12. Identity
13. Matter of Time
14. Prophets
15. Onward
