Any fan of hardcore knows the name All Out War, but you can be forgiven if you haven’t heard their name in a while.  After belting out 3 straight LPs from 2003-2010, the band has been relatively silent since then.  Well the wait is over, as nearly the whole lineup from 1998’s For Those Who Were Crucified reformed for some touring in 2013, and are back to show they haven’t missed a single step with their newest EP, Dying Gods.

If you liked Crucified (and their subsequent albums which were also quite good, if relatively unnoticed), get ready to be giddy all over again as this EP is straight vintage AOW:  you get the churning, thrashy riffs, tasty breakdowns, and the pure hardcore vocals of Mike Score.  His range is impressive as ever, with his talents still guiding this ship after all these years.  As mentioned the original gang is (almost) all here, with Score being joined by guitarists Andy Pietroloungo (the lone newcomer) and Taras Apuzzo, with Jesse Sutherland handling the percussion and Eric Carrillo providing the bass.

Dying Gods consists of four original songs, which are just what you’d expect from a band that’s been honing its talent for over 20 years.  The best track is “Servants to the Obsolete”, which has taken its place with Crucified’s “Claim Your Innocence” as one of the catchiest songs they’ve ever penned.  The lyrics are what you’d expect, focusing on struggle, spiritual disillusionment, and society’s ills and apathy.  The production is another phenomenal job from Steve Evetts, which one would expect from a man that has worked with the likes of Hatebreed, Buried Alive, and Suicide Silence.

The album closes out with an awesome cover of Amebix’s “Arise”, which shows AOW have a future in all out thrash should they choose to go that route, and Carnivore’s “God is Dead”.  Overall a phenomenal return to form for one of the best in the business, and if this album is a holdover until a (hopefully) upcoming full length, hardcore fans would be all too pleased to get an early Christmas present.

[Visit the band's website]

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