This spring, Florida metalcore pioneers Wage War released a haunting introduction to their next era with the release of “Magnetic,” the first unveiling of new music since the band’s acclaimed 2021 album. ManicThe haunting track underscored the band’s continued musical evolution – an evolution that seemed to really take shape during the band’s post-pandemic re-emergence.
stigma was the band’s fifth and probably most influential album to date. Riding on the wave of enthusiasm due to the band’s previous success and a series of extensive tours during the Manic The anticipation for the band’s latest entry on Fearless Records over the course of the last album cycle suggested not only that Wage War was in for a career-making year, but also that the band had finally broken through the creative ceiling of metalcore with something definitive – something entirely their own.
Watch Cody Quistad of Wage War on the Talk Toomey Podcast – HERE
Leading up to the album’s release, back-to-back singles, featuring tracks like the soulful “Blur,” the explosive “Tombstone,” and the electrifying “NAIL5,” provided clear evidence that Wage War had no intention of staying within the confines of conventional metalcore. Wage War retained the best parts of the band they had developed over the past decade and have since built upon that foundation to become the most complete and versatile version of themselves yet.
Dare to paint beyond the lines and experiment creatively on Manic, stigma is that spirit of discovery that is meticulously refined. The mix of styles, influences and dynamics is brought together into a cohesive presentation that maintains its musical integrity while giving the band room to evolve. In doing so, Wage War now reaches more fans than ever before.
In conversation with the band, they assess how 2021 has proven to be particularly decisive and how the creative progress that has been made in stigmabegan by daring to get out of step musically, ManicOn the verge of what seems to be a successful year for Wage War, the band talks about the kind of pride they expressed in their latest performance and how stigma It’s less about challenging the status quo and more about the band reaching their true creative potential.
How crucial was Manic in terms of the creative basis for an album like stigma? Would you say Manic the second era of the wage war has begun?
Manic was certainly a stepping stone for us. It gave us the confidence to step out of our comfort zone and make the music we like. I think it’s a relatively fair assessment to call it a second era. We will always stay true to our hard core roots, but have been able to focus on trying new flavors in our music.
How influential have the tours been over the past few years? The band has taken on major supporting roles and some of the biggest headlining shows to date. What lessons from the stage have ultimately influenced your work in the studio?
We always think about how the songs we write will be received live. The last few years have been a time of tremendous growth for us. We’ve been able to play in front of a lot of new people, like Slipknot, Three Days Grace, Disturbed, etc. You learn a lot from the show that these bands put on night after night.
Wage War showed that you can tour with bands outside the realm of conventional metalcore. Your time with Slipknot is a prime example of this. Are you still doing well in gaining fans and how does that influence your writing?
100%. On these tours we know that every night is an opportunity for someone who has never heard our music before and we work hard to make a good first impression.
From “Magnetic” to “NAIL5” to “Tombstone” – the sequence of singles from stigma really showcase a wide range of styles. How difficult is it to narrow the focus of some of these big ideas to create something concise and cohesive?
It can be challenging sometimes, but with this record we wanted each song to have its own identity. The whole album has a sonic theme, but each song is completely its own.
Thematically, your last album really touched on dark places. Was it therapeutic to see that these songs were so well received live? How did that boost your confidence as a songwriter when recording stigma?
It is certainly comforting to know that you are not alone in some of these feelings. We all just want to be heard. Knowing that other people have similar feelings gives us the confidence to share our story.
As Wage War has evolved, your fan base seems to have been more than willing to join you on your journey. Your fans from day one are connecting with new fans, something most bands can’t do. What do you attribute this loyalty to?
We can only hope that our fans grow with us. Our taste in music changes as we get older. It seems like most people are open to trying new things with us.
You have spoken very openly about how stress-free this recording was. Would it be fair to say stigma is it the album you always wanted to make rather than the album you feel like you have to make?
The whole process was very natural. We wrote together a few times and the chemistry was there the whole time. When we’re not stressed about schedules, we can do our best.
The band also got outside help in the production stigma. How beneficial was this collaborative environment and were there concerns about drifting too far to the left or right?
Collaborating with the right people is a very useful tool. We’ve been lucky to have worked with a handful of great writers who have helped us bring their own perspective to a song that we might have otherwise forced ourselves into. We push those boundaries as far as necessary to get the song where it needs to be, and occasionally scale it back until it feels good.
where does … come from stigma Rank for you in terms of satisfaction? What lessons from the album will stay with you in the future?
stigma is an album we are so proud of. The kind of pride that no one else could say. I will look back fondly on this process, the way we worked together, took risks and most importantly, wrote the record WE wanted to make. We can’t wait to play these songs live.
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stigmaWage War’s fifth full-length studio album, is out now via Fearless Records.
Order the album – HERE
Catch Wage War on their Stigma tour starting this September. The US tour will feature support from Erra, Thrown and Fame On Fire. A list of dates and cities can be found below.
Tickets are available here
