Wage War brought their Manic tour to a sold-out Roxian. The group from Florida have secured their place as icons in the metalcore scene, amassing a die-hard following since their formation in 2010. With brutal vocals, melodic guitars, and heavy bass, Wage War is a powerhouse both in the studio and on the stage.
Opening the show was Spite, a deathcore band from Southern California. Spite is the perfect opening band, with an intense, bass-pumping sound that shakes you to your core and an obscene amount of energy. Despite being a Wednesday, Spite got everyone geared up for the rest of the night. The circle pits started early, with the crowd feeding off of Spite’s contagious energy, and the tone for the rest of the night was set high.
Next up was alt-rock/emo-rap group nothing,nowhere. Because of this unusual combination of genres, nothing,nowhere. has an incredibly unique sound, with loud and heavy deathcore elements mixed perfectly with the in-your-faceness of traditional rap and hiphop alongside incredibly emotional and deep lyrics. Fronted by Joe Mulherin, nothing,nowhere. brings a raw freshness to the metal world, and their live show is just as impressive. With nonstop energy, the whole band was jumping around the stage, encouraging the crowd to join in. These boys are something special, and were a wonderful addition to the Manic tour.
After two incredible acts, Wage War finally took the stage and the already wild crowd lost their minds. The crowd surfing started almost immediately, as did the circle pits. Yes, multiple circle pits, there was even one in the very back of GA where it’s normally calm. The energy throughout the entire theater was so thick you could feel it, and the music pushed it even further with deep bass that shook the floor.
The stage was set with a large monitor displaying colours, images, and lyrics that matched the music. Combined with air cannons that fired off strategically, the performance was as polished and high caliber as expected for a long-standing force such as Wage War. Towards the end of the set, vocalist Briton Bond asked the crowd who has followed the band since the beginning, and the theater erupted in cheers. The veteran fans were all ecstatic to be there for another show, singing along with nearly every song. Newer fans were just as enthralled, as Wage War had a certain charm that drew you in from the moment they took the stage.
