Wovenwar might have been born of terrible circumstances – which we won’t rehash here – but in adversity the former As I Lay Dying (and current Oh, Sleeper) members have truly found redemption. With their second album the supergroup have delivered a masterclass in combining jagged riffs with considered, mature songwriting.
Where so many bands are happy to slam down the accelerator and hammer out riffs and roars at top speed for the entire duration of a record, Wovenwar understand the value of the slow burn.
Alongside the headbanging brutality and juggernaut riffage, we get anthemic choruses such as those on Lines In The Sand and Cascade, and even an industrial ballad in Compass. Shane Blay’s voice is on fine form as he leads the band between pounding four-on-the-floor metal workouts and soaring choruses. An incredibly accomplished album, Honor Is Dead expertly treads the line between polish and punishment, ably assisted by an arena-ready sheen courtesy of Periphery’s Nolly Getgood. Said sheen, and the somewhat earnest, radio-friendly numbers like Silhouette, means this record isn’t for those who like their metal bloody and brutal. But if you like your riffs with a chaser of mellow melody, Wovenwar have you covered.
