UNBOWED
Silent Weapons For A Quiet War
Sometimes it’s good to revist one’s roots. It’s always fun to be eclectic and take a journey through the unknown and vast wilderness of metal, but that soothing and comforting feeling of thrashy melodic death metal just brings me back to a simpler time. And that era is perfectly encapsulated in Germany’s UNBOWED new album “Silent Weapons For A Quiet War”.
THE BAND
Since this is not my first rodeo with the band (having reviewed their EP “First Uprising” earlier this year), I feel like I have been along for the wild ride that is the genesis of the band. The band’s anti-imperialist and outspoken progressive lyricism comes at a time when the world has been thrust into uncertainty for the rights of the oppressed. The trio consists of Percival Drakon holding down the entire rhythm section on bass and drums, Aetherius taking guitar and synth duty, and the ever-intense Vox Infernum on vocals.
THE ALBUM
As was expected, the album brings so much hardcore-inspired energy from the opening track. “We Need A Stone”, the introduction to the album, brings a pleasant sonic assault to the listener while providing important and system-disrupting lyrics such as: “in the hands of the right person, even a simple stone can be a powerful force for change”, showcasing the praxis of revolution can lead to systemic change for those oppressed by a ruling class that has let unchecked capitalism and paternalistic imperialism destroy their sovereignty.
The raw energy continues on amazing tracks such as “Silent Weapons For A Quiet War”, showcasing how economic systems that have been put in place by privatized market economies create large and deadly gaps in wealth distribution between the wealthiest and the working class, “Programmed Consent”, which detalis the conformity and acceptance that is demanded through an online autocracy, and “Won’t Someone Think Of The Children”, a heroing critique of how systems of power scapegoat the youth in order to push their own oppressive legislation.
Normally, I would pick a standout track from the album to highlight, but in all fairness, every single track on this album is a 10/10, both sonically and lyrically. The influences of class melodic death bands like Children Of Bodom are all over this album and the flow from track to track is flawless. Lyrically, each song tackles a different issue impacting marginalized communities from social and economic perspectives. Each song ties together a story of authoritarian control from political systems that aim to divide and conquer.
THE VERDICT
As someone who has had friends and family personally disenfranchised by those in power, I believe that albums like this are not only necessary but pivotal to metal. Heavy metal, as a genre, tends to focus on machismo and fantastical interpretations of landscape that continues perpetuate a patriaricahal western hegemony that is unsafe for marginalized members of our community. Bands like UNBOWED who speak out against said oppression bring a breath of fresh air and revolutionary fervor to a genre which has become obsessed with toxic masculinity and I thank them greatly for a work of art such as this. Please support this band and pick up “Silent Weapons For A Quiet War”, independently releasing December 13th.
Matthew McCune