Apr 5, 2021

THE BAND REPENT - 'War'

War. What is it good for? Edwin Starr posed the age old question back in 1970 in protest to the Vietnam War. Fast forward to 2021 where thrash metal band The Band Repent deliver ‘War’, a deep dive into the discomfort and trauma war can leave a soul with.

Solidifying their line up in February 2020, The Band Repent hails from Casper, Wyoming and is made up of Jeremy Amack (guitar/vocals), Shawn Hill (drums), Steve Thomas (guitar), and Joe Rodriguez. ‘War’ is taken from upcoming EP Written In Blood which is currently being tracked and provides a window into how raw and ferocious this band can be.

Atmospheric tolling of the bells of doom against a backdrop of the pattering rain instantly sets the tone of unease. Playback of the infamous war time speech Churchill gave launches ‘War’ into a deep and aggressive riff which rings of early Metallica. An epic overlaying riff fleshes the intro out, dropping melodic bombs the size of the atom bomb.

Amack’s vocals are unsettling to listen to, the hushed yet harsh quality creeps up your spine as he hisses ‘It makes you crazy like war always does’. Settling into a vocal pattern which will have you singing along almost involuntarily in seconds, Amack takes you down the rabbit hole of how exactly battle exposure can impact a mental state. ‘War makes you hate/ Everything. Everyone. Everywhere’ completes the metamorphosis from hopeful and tolerant person to hateful and vengeful husk with a ‘spirit so restless’, it longs for the end.

Bursting at the seams with disturbing atmospheric bells, bouncing bomb style drums, and an outro which sounds similar to a 21 gun salute but with crushing guitars tearing through the silence; ‘War’ is a haunting listen and is as close as we want to get to an actual battlefield.

‘War’ is available now across all major streaming platforms. For the latest news from The Band Repent, including new releases and tour dates, follow their social media linked below.

If you, or a loved one, are struggling with the after effects of serving in the Armed Forces, we have included some UK based resources for you below. As always, we thank you for your service.

Veterans UK

Freephone: 0808 1914 2 18

This helpline is open Monday – Friday 8:00am to 4:00pm. When this helpline is closed, callers will have the option to be redirected to The Samaritans helpline.

Email: veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk

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Combat Stress – The UK’s leading charity for veterans’ mental health

Website: https://combatstress.org.uk/

Freephone: 0800 138 1619

This helpline is open 24/7 though it is not one to be used if you are in crisis. Callers who need urgent support will be redirected to The Samaritans.

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Samaritans

Website: https://www.samaritans.org/

Freephone: 116 123

Email: jo@samaritans.org

Response time is 24 hours

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