The War of Art (album)

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For the book by Steven Pressfield, see The War of Art (book). For the 2014 episode of The Simpsons, see The War of Art (The Simpsons).
The War of Art
TheWarofArtAHC.jpg
Studio album by
American Head Charge
ReleasedAugust 28, 2001[1]
Recorded2001
StudioThe Mansion in Laurel Canyon, Los Angeles, California
GenreIndustrial metal, nu metal[2]
Length67:47
LabelAmerican Recordings
ProducerRick Rubin
American Head Charge chronology
Trepanation
(1999) 		The War of Art
(2001) 		The Feeding
(2005)
Singles from The Art of War
  1. "Just So You Know"
    Released: May 27, 2002

The War of Art is an album by industrial metal band American Head Charge, released in 2001. It is the band's first major studio album release after their self-released album Trepanation (1999).

Album information[]

The album was recorded at Rick Rubin's allegedly haunted recording studio. The title is a play on words of the Chinese book The Art of War by Sun Tzu.[3] This is the band's only album with Aaron Zilch on samplers, and David Rogers and Wayne Kile together on guitar. After the departure of Zilch, Fowler remained the band's sole keyboardist/sampler.

The album landed American Head Charge a spot at Ozzfest 2001. Their concerts featured some controversy due to the band firing shotguns and burning American flags on stage.[4] A live version of the song "Reach and Touch" appears on the album Ozzfest 2001: The Second Millennium. A live version of "Seamless" appears on the album Pledge of Allegiance Tour: Live Concert Recording. Music videos were released for "Just So You Know" and "All Wrapped Up".

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic4/5 stars[5]
Anti Music4.5/5 stars[6]
Kerrang!4/5 stars
Metal Storm8.5/10 stars[7]
Metal Observer8/10
Rough Edge4/5[8]
Sputnikmusic4.5/5 stars[9]
Ultimate Guitar9.5/10 stars[10]
Q1/5 stars[11]

The War of Art sold over 250,000 copies and received positive reviews.[12] AllMusic called the album "brutal, loud, and insanely intense" and that "the band is one of the most intelligent, interesting, and compelling metal bands to surface." CMJ said, "aiming its cannons, grenades and shotguns at point-blank range... its spliced with programming and aggro geetars."[13] NME called it an "outstanding slab of modern heavy metal."[14]

Katherine Turman said that "sirens, industrial noise, and ultra-intense vocals kick off The War of Art's aptly titled opening cut A Violent Reaction", and that the band have "deftly produced, well-conceived, and fully realized songs and approach."[15] Metal Observer called it "an album that forms a unity for itself and wins in power and intensity with each repeated listen." AntiMusic said that "from start to finish The War of Art is an uncompromising heavy album filled with righteous screams, in your face bass and drums and searing guitars." Rough Edge said that the album "is one hour plus of blistering, mind blowing, molten metal" and that "song after song after song is nothing less than a pure metal experience."

Track listing[]

No.TitleMusicLength
1."A Violent Reaction"Hanks, Heacock4:12
2."Pushing the Envelope"Hanks, Heacock3:13
3."Song for the Suspect"Hanks, Heacock4:11
4."Never Get Caught"Hanks, Heacock, Rogers4:56
5."Self"Hanks, Heacock4:21
6."Just So You Know"Hanks, Heacock, Kile5:31
7."Seamless"Hanks, Heacock4:28
8."Effigy 23"Hanks, Heacock4:10
9."Americunt Evolving Into Useless Psychic Garbage"Hanks, Heacock2:33
10."Shutdown"Hanks, Heacock5:06
11."We Believe"Hanks, Heacock3:15
12."Breathe In, Bleed Out"Hanks, Heacock, Kile4:27
13."Fall"Hanks, Heacock, Rogers4:29
14."Reach and Touch"Hanks, Heacock3:54
15."All Wrapped Up"Hanks, Heacock3:27
16."Nothing Gets Nothing"Hanks, Heacock, Kile5:30
  • Track 9 is titled "Title of Song Removed for Your Safety" on the rear cover.
Bonus track
No.TitleMusicLength
17."Pretty Face" (Japanese edition bonus track)Hanks, Heacock11:20

Singles[]

Date of release Song title Label U.S. Mainstream Rock Tracks U.S. Modern Rock Tracks U.S. Hot Dance Music/Club Play UK Album Charts
May 27, 2002 "Just So You Know" American Recordings 12 5

Music videography[]

Video still Release date Song Director Label Additional information
2001 "All Wrapped Up" Tomas Migone American Recordings Banned due to visceral images within video
2002 "Just So You Know" Kevin Kerslake American Recordings American Head Charge's first official music video

Credits[]

References[]

  1. ^ "War of Art". Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  2. ^ "The 12 Most Underrated Nu Metal Albums". VH1. (September 15, 2015). Retrieved on September 18, 2015
  3. ^ "American Head Charge interview about 'The War of Art.'". PopEntertainment.com. April 4, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  4. ^ "Maximum Ink music magazine of Wisconsin | Artist Interviews | American Headcharge". Maximumink.com. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  5. ^ "The War of Art – American Head Charge". AllMusic.
  6. ^ Ieg / Ecc (October 30, 1998). "antiMUSIC Reviews - The Music site with an attitude". Antimusic.com. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  7. ^ "American Head Charge - The War Of Art review". Metal Storm. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  8. ^ "American Head Charge CD Reviews". Rough Edge. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  9. ^ "American Head Charge - The War Of Art (album review ) | Sputnikmusic". www.sputnikmusic.com.
  10. ^ "American Head Charge: The War Of Art | Reviews @ Ultimate-Guitar.com". www.ultimate-guitar.com.
  11. ^ Winwood, Ian (December 2001). "American Head Charge - The War of Art". Q (185): 118.
  12. ^ "'American Head Charge' – Bio". Headcharge.com. Retrieved April 27, 2014.
  13. ^ 8/27/01, p. 20
  14. ^ 3/2/02, p. 15
  15. ^ "American Head Charge - The War of Art : the album description, tracks, reviews". Music-city.org. Retrieved April 27, 2014.

External links[]

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