A few weeks ago I was prepping to interview Wage War on the Of Mice and Men The Defy World Tour.
On my way to the venue, I couldn’t believe my luck when I accidentally walked into my interviewee, Briton Bond as he entered the pub next to the venue. Me, being me and grabbing any opportunity that fate sets in my path, I pulled him to the side politely to set up the interview as agreed with us here at Original Rock, see the interview below. He was a very friendly man and didn’t mind me interrupting his free time for a couple of minutes.
Parting ways, we went into the venue to watch the first band, Sylar. Reminding me of a cross between a young Linkin Park and RATM. All the way from New York the rap-core group from Queens, opened the set with Assume which got the crowd going to prepare for the barrage of breakdowns and blast beats that they would encounter in tonight’s sets with Wage War and Of Mice And Men.
Lead vocalist Jayden Panesso, encouraged the crowd to get moving and make it to the front of the room. At the beginning of Dark Days, Jayden starts off shouting at the crowd asking ARE YOU READY. Engaging and entertaining oozing with stage presence, he roared and the crowd was hit with his bellowing scream. They continued the set with songs such as, Yours Truly from the album To Whom It May Concern, Soul Addiction, Pleasure Paradise, Gambit Rogue Delight from the album Help! and finishing off the set with Golden Retreat from the album To Whom It May Concern. If you like a rap-core metal band definitely check Sylar out.
Wage War were next to tear up the stage. Creating mosh madness in the pits, as they started the set off with Alive from 2015 album Blueprints. Slamming their heavy hardcore beats combined with the harmonious vocals going between clean and unclean made this set feel on fire. Lead vocalist Briton Bond, completely dominated the stage with his growls and screams they were so fierce and powerful.
Playing a selection of songs from their 2015 album Blueprints such as, The River and Twenty One. Also playing a range of songs from the new 2017 album Deadweight, title track, Never Enough, Gravity, Witness, Stich and Don’t Let Me Fade Away. My all time favourite song Johnny Cash, Wage War gave so much energy to their performance which was mirrored in the number of massive pits in the audience that evening. It’s very rare to find a band who sound so close to the album you pop on in your car live, Wage War smashed it and made it feel like they could hold their own and be a headliner next time.
Finally, crowning the stage was Of Mice and Men, opening up with their new title track from 2018 album Defy, which is their fifth studio album. The crowd already warmed up and licking their wounds from the mosh pits created by Wage War the atmosphere was intense.
Firing off catchy riffs and blasting breakdowns they played Warzone, Unbreakable, On The Inside, Instincts and Forever YDG’n from the Defy Album. With a mix of all time, classics like, Would You Still Be There, You Make Me Sick, Pain and Bones Exposed from Restoring The Force 2014 Album and Cold War 2016 the 4th studio album. Headbanging aside, lead vocalist Aaron Pauley rounded off the hardcore evening with a selection of songs from their 2011 album, The Flood such as title track The Flood and The Depths.
The set was just as good as the set from last years download festival, if not better. From having band member changes of late, Of Mice and Men still follow through stronger than ever. The chuggy chords and heavy djent styles with a touch of melodic vocals. Followed on with the consistent characteristics of melody and a mix of slight undertones of different music styles from the metalcore genre, makes this band stand out from the moment you hear that first note.
Overall a brilliant heavy hardcore evening with some amazing bands new and old. I enjoyed the atmosphere, and the venue was very nice and having an upstairs should you want to be away from the boisterous crowds. Definitely worth catching one if not all of these bands live.