I Declare War – We Are Violent People By Nature Record Label: Artery / Razor & Tie Release Date: March 18 2014 In metal, there are a plethora of subgenres, whether it’s thrash, black, power, progressive, nu, Christian, and tons more. While metal fans have their preferences, and there are lots of subgenres to explore, metalheads have a hard time accepting the fact that metalcore, and deathcore are subgenres of metal as well. These genres are simply just names created after combining metal and hardcore (metalcore), along with death metal and hardcore (deathcore). For whatever reason, metal “purists,” if you will, always discredit these genres as not being metal. My point is, well, they are metal. They have elements of metal in them, and they’re certainly metal at their core, pun intended. On one hand, I can see where they come from, because if a band does employ more hardcore influence rather than straightforward death metal or metal itself, does that mean that band is still a metal band? But my answer is yes, they still are. Just because they learn towards the other genre in the amalgamation doesn’t mean they aren’t metal or death metal. Such is the case for Washington deathcore outfit I Declare War. They’ve been around for around nine years or so, which is a rather impressive feat for a band in this genre, but recently, I’ve been listening to deathcore a lot, including records by Whitechapel, Fit for an Autopsy, Carnifex, and a few other groups. I used to listen to the group a few years back; I got somewhat into the genre when I was around 16 or 17, and I listened to bands like Born of Osiris, Veil of Maya, After the Burial, and a few other groups. I listened to a record by I Declare War, specifically 2010’s Malevolence, and I liked it just fine. I don’t remember the album very well, because it has been years since I’ve heard it, but I came across the band’s sixth LP, We Are Violent People By Nature, and third album with Artery Recordings. I came across the LP one weekend while I was just browsing for music in my local FYE, as I usually do once or twice a week, and I found a couple copies of the LP, but decided not to get it. I found some other stuff instead, but came back the next day to pick it up anyway, because I thought, “Why not?” It wouldn’t hurt to listen to something different, and I’m really happy I gave this LP a chance, because it ended up being a very surprising experience. Despite not being into this genre for a few years now, I suddenly wanted to listen to more. We Are Violent People By Nature is a great album to reintroduce myself to this genre, for a few key reasons. Simply put, this LP is a great example of a deathcore record that’s done very well. It’s a very straightforward record, in terms that you’re just getting straight-up deathcore, and not any other elements, including djenty guitars, keys, symphonic elements, or anything like that, but just some straight-up deathcore. Nothing more, nothing less. And sometimes, that’s a good thing. In this case, it is. There’s not much to this LP, but that’s a good thing, because this is a very concise and enjoyable listen. The album’s only half an hour long, and songs rarely clock over 2 and a half minutes, so this album does not overstay its welcome. Records like this can get boring after awhile (I’m looking at you, Whitechapel’s Our Endless War; I love you, but you got boring after awhile), but We Are Violent People By Nature is a perfect example of a record in this genre that’s great. But don’t think it’s a generic LP, either. The instrumentation is rather lackluster at times, but it’s not done terribly. The band themselves are pretty good, despite being a whole new lineup since 2012, minus vocalist Jamie Hanks, who first appeared on 2011’s self-titled. And honestly, Hanks’ vocals are the main reason why I keep coming back to this LP. He’s an insanely talented vocalist. His range is incredible, and he has a nice mix of growls and screeches. He just does a damn good job, essentially. And he’s really what keeps the album afloat, essentially. I can’t say I really have any problem with this LP, other than that it can be rather generic for some people. If you like deathcore with more interesting elements, you might not find much to enjoy here, but if you do like straight-up deathcore that’s done very well, and interesting, you definitely should listen to this album. Because it’s only half an hour, it makes the album much easier to handle and a very quick listen. But in that half hour, it’s a monster of an LP. Definitely one of the best records I’ve heard this year and just one of the best deathcore records I’ve heard in a long time. I’m really glad I started with this one, and to think, I picked it up, because I was familiar with this group. RIYL: Whitechapel – Our Endless War, Veil of Maya – Eclipse, Winds of Plague – The Great Stone War Overall rating: 8.8/10 -Bradley
Posted on: Tue, 24 Jun 2014 04:50:44 +0000
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