Always War - Vengeance Prevail

Always War is relatively less known compared to some other Swedish bands so before I got this CD I had no clue about bands existence. According to the bio, they started out in 2007 with a mission to combine classic crossover hardcore sound of Agnostic Front or Cro-Mags with some heavier metal influences. After struggling for some time with typical newcomer issues like unstable line-up changes, "Vengeance Prevail" is band’s first official release and fits pretty well with the its stylistic aspirations. The music is built around solid hardcore base but with tons of thrashing riffs and double bass action. It’s a little bit like more metal version Terror, Lionheart or Since The Flood, although the band lacks the natural and easy flow of the mentioned bands. It might no not in the league with the best, but when the band is on form, it is immense and sharp. The fact that they keep the songs vibrant and dynamic all the way throughout the album plays definitely to their advantage, with no mindless deathcore crap or clean vocals nonsense. I back up their decision to keep the album short, as it offers only five tracks, of which most barely clock past three minutes. It keeps it more focused and dense, which combined with solid musicianship and some heavy-ass vocals makes it a worth listen.

Nature Always Wins Records, 2011
Review by Dloogi