Wage War

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This article is about the band. For the act, see Declaration of war.
Wage War
Wage War performing at Rock im Park in 2016
Wage War performing at Rock im Park in 2016
Background information
Also known as
  • Empires
  • War Within
OriginOcala, Florida, U.S.
Genres
Years active2010–present
LabelsFearless
Associated acts
Websitewagewarband.com
Members
  • Briton Bond
  • Seth Blake
  • Cody Quistad
  • Chris Gaylord
  • Stephen Kluesener
Past members
  • Jordan Pierce
  • David Rau

Wage War is an American metalcore band formed in Ocala, Florida in 2010 under the name Empires.[1][2] The band consists of lead vocalist Briton Bond, lead guitarist Seth Blake, rhythm guitarist and clean vocalist Cody Quistad, bassist Chris Gaylord, and drummer Stephen Kluesener.

The group is currently signed to Fearless Records and have released one EP and three studio albums. Their upcoming fourth studio album, Manic, is set for release on October 1, 2021.[3]

History[]

Formation, line-up change and Blueprints (2010–2016)[]

Wage War started in 2010 under the name "Empires" in Ocala, Florida.[2] The band originally consisted of Briton Bond (unclean vocals), Cody Quistad (rhythm guitar/clean vocals), Seth Blake (lead guitar), Jordan Pierce (bass) and David Rau (drums). Rau quit the band to focus on teaching and is now residing as a teacher at West Port High School in the band's hometown. The band changed their name to Wage War and hired on Chris Gaylord to replace Pierce and Stephen J. Kluesener to replace Rau. As of October 2019, Rau occasionally fills in for Kluesener. In 2015, the band signed to Fearless Records, with a single produced by Jeremy McKinnon and Andrew Wade.[1][4][5][6] After being signed to Fearless, the band released their debut album, Blueprints.[7]

Deadweight (2017–2018)[]

Their second album Deadweight was released with Fearless Records on August 4, 2017. Wage War has done a number of tours, including playing on the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour in 2016, and A Day to Remember's Self Help Festival in 2017. The band has also opened for artists such as August Burns Red, Chelsea Grin, I Prevail, The Amity Affliction, Northlane, Every Time I Die, For Today and Of Mice & Men. The band played with Parkway Drive on their mini June 2017 tour. The band embarked on their first national headliner in the July of 2017, in support of their new album Deadweight. Gideon and Varials joined up as support.[8] The second leg of the tour featured Gideon and Varials once again. Oceans Ate Alaska and Loathe joined up as support.[9] Wage War played on the final touring portion of the 2018 Vans Warped Tour.

Pressure (2019–2020)[]

On January 9, 2019, the band released a single titled "Low" through their label Fearless Records. Six months later, on July 9, they released a second single, "Who I Am". Then later that month, on July 30, the band released two singles, "Prison" and "Me Against Myself". Upon doing this, the band unveiled their plans for a third studio album, revealing the album's title, tracklist, and release date. Pressure, their third album, was released on August 30, 2019.

On March 18, Wage War lost all of their Myspace content from 2016 and earlier in "a server migration gone wrong" from the Empires era (with the exception of The Fall of Kings EP). It was widely reported that over 50 million songs and 12 years worth of content was permanently lost, and there was no backup.[10] Wage War played on the 25th Anniversary Vans Warped Tour in Atlantic City, New Jersey and in Mountain View, California. The band went on tour throughout the Fall of 2019, in support of their latest album, Pressure. Like Moths to Flames, Polaris and Dayseeker joined up as support for the tour.[11] On November 13, 2020, the band dropped a new song called "Surrounded", a previously unreleased track from Blueprints, which harks back to their heavier beginnings.[12]

Manic (2020–present)[]

On April 8, 2020, while on their downtime during the period of self-isolation caused by COVID-19 pandemic, Wage War announced on Twitter that they are working on new material for the upcoming record. Along with the announcement, the band also tease a new song and wrote: "Making the most of quarantine. #ww4"[13][14]

On August 6, 2021, the band released a new song called "High Horse".[15] On August 25, the band officially released the second single "Circle the Drain" from their upcoming fourth studio album, Manic, which is scheduled to be released on October 1, 2021. At the same time, the band revealed the album cover and the track list.[16] To promote the album, the band also announced that they will support I Prevail's rescheduled European tour along with Dream State in March 2022.[17][18][19]

Musical style[]

Wage War's musical style has been described as metalcore,[2][20] melodic metalcore,[2] hardcore punk,[21] and melodic hardcore.[2]

Members[]

  • Wage War live at Rock im Park 2016

  • Singer Briton Bond

  • Lead guitarist Seth Blake

  • Rhythm guitarist Cody Quistad

  • Bassist Chris Gaylord

  • Drummer Stephen Kluesener

Current

  • Briton Bond – lead vocals (2010–present); additional guitars (2019–present)
  • Seth Blake – lead guitar, backing vocals (2010–present)
  • Cody Quistad – rhythm guitar, clean vocals (2010–present)
  • Chris Gaylord – bass (2013–present); backing vocals (2017–present)
  • Stephen Kluesener – drums (2013–present)

Former

  • Jordan Pierce – bass (2010–2013)
  • David Rau – drums (2010–2013)
Timeline

Discography[]

Studio albums[]

List of studio albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US
[22] 		US
Hard Rock
[23] 		US
Heat
[24] 		US
Indie
[25] 		US
Rock
[26] 		AUS
[27]
Blueprints — 9 3 28 43 —
Deadweight
  • Released: August 4, 2017[31]
  • Label: Fearless
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming
 54 2 — — 8 45
Pressure
  • Released: August 30, 2019[31]
  • Label: Fearless
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming
 112 5 — — 16 67
Manic
  • Released: October 1, 2021[32]
  • Label: Fearless
  • Formats: CD, LP, digital download, streaming
 To be released

Extended plays[]

List of extended plays
Title EP details
The Fall of Kings

Singles[]

Title Year Album
"Alive" 2015 Blueprints
"Twenty One"
"Youngblood"
"Stitch" 2017 Deadweight
"Don't Let Me Fade Away"
"Witness"
"Johnny Cash" (Stripped version) 2018 Non-album singles
"Gravity" (Stripped version)
"Low" 2019 Pressure
"Who I Am"
"Prison"
"Me Against Myself"
"Grave" (Stripped version) 2020 Non-album single
"Surrounded" Blueprints (Anniversary Edition)
"High Horse" 2021 Manic
"Circle the Drain"

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b Chatterjee, Kika (June 15, 2015). "Wage War announce Fearless Records signing with Jeremy McKinnon-produced single". Alternative Press. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  2. ^ Jump up to: a b c d e Yeung, Neil Z. "Biography : Wage War". AllMusic. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  3. ^ "Wage War To Release New Album "Manic" In October, Debut "Circle The Drain"". ThePRP. August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  4. ^ "Wage War Signs to Fearless Records". New Noise Magazine. June 15, 2016. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  5. ^ Admin (October 23, 2015). "Wage War Shared Intriguing New Single "Youngblood" From Debut Album". Highlight Magazine. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  6. ^ Shultz, Thom (June 16, 2015). "Wage War Signs to Fearless Records". Mind Equals Blown. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  7. ^ Bomber (February 22, 2016). "Wage War premiere 'Youngblood' video clip". Bombshell Zine. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  8. ^ "Wage War Announce U.S. Headlining Tour — The Prelude Press". Thepreludepress.com. May 30, 2017. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  9. ^ [1][dead link]
  10. ^ Brodkin, Jon (March 18, 2019). "Myspace apparently lost 12 years' worth of music, and almost no one noticed". Ars Technica. Retrieved March 20, 2019.
  11. ^ "Wage War Announce 'Pressure' Album, New Song + Headlining Tour". Loudwire.com. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  12. ^ citylightstam (November 13, 2020). "Wage War Unleash Surprisingly Hard New Single 'Surrounded'". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  13. ^ "NEWS: Wage War begin work on fourth album; tease new song!". Dead Press!. April 10, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  14. ^ "Wage War Working On Fourth Album, Tease New Song". ThePRP. April 8, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  15. ^ Aarons, Ricky (August 5, 2021). "Surprise! Wage War Return With Heavy & Groovy Tune 'High Horse'". Wall Of Sound. Retrieved August 5, 2021.
  16. ^ "Wage War announce fourth album Manic, drop new single Circle The Drain". Kerrang!. August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  17. ^ "I Prevail Reschedule European/UK Tour To 2022, Wage War & Dream State To Open". ThePRP. May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  18. ^ "I Prevail's Upcoming UK/EU Tour Has Been Rescheduled To 2022". Rock Sound. May 7, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  19. ^ "NEWS: I Prevail postpone UK tour to March 2022!". Dead Press!. May 8, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.
  20. ^ Jump up to: a b Litchfield, Rob (December 10, 2015). "Wage War's Blueprints breaks down Metalcore barriers". The Defender. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  21. ^ Willschick, Aaron (June 20, 2016). "WAGE WAR Are Waging War on Your Ears in Music Video for "The River"". Pure Grain Audio. Retrieved January 16, 2017. The band delivers 11 tracks of uncompromising multi-dimensional hardcore...
  22. ^ "Wage War Chart History: Billboard 200". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  23. ^ "Wage War Chart History: Hard Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  24. ^ "Wage War Chart History: Heatseekers Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  25. ^ "Wage War Chart History: Independent Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  26. ^ "Wage War Chart History: Rock Albums". Billboard. Retrieved September 11, 2019.
  27. ^ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. August 14, 2017. Retrieved August 12, 2017.
  28. ^ Mark (November 23, 2015). "Wage War – Blueprints". Loud and Heavy. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  29. ^ Pacheco, Anthony (December 27, 2015). "Wage War – Blueprints Review". Flippen Music. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  30. ^ Tyler H. "Album Review: Wage War – Blueprints". Sound Fiction. Retrieved July 14, 2016.
  31. ^ Jump up to: a b "Wage War | Fearless Records". Fearless Records. Retrieved May 4, 2017.
  32. ^ "Wage War Release Eclectic Single 'Circle The Drain'". Wall of Sound. August 25, 2021. Retrieved August 26, 2021.

External links[]

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