Three albums in and for Wage War it feels like their moment. Recently released album ’Pressure’ has taken the band into new territory, it’s a push that’s going to sway fans and one that’s going to test their endurance and faith in what they’ve produced.
Mental health in the music scene is often overlooked but Wage War have been upfront and open to talking about it, the album reflects their message about the struggles and comes across wanting to promote a more positive environment in the scene. We caught up with guitarist Seth Blake about writing the album, mental health and their upcoming UK tour.
Your new album is out now and aptly titled ‘Pressure’. You’ve talked about songs on the album that deal with mental health and making changes to your life – what advice would you give to your younger self or to younger fans?
Mental health is such a huge issue. If I could go back and give my younger self advice, it would just be to expect the ups and downs that come with life. And rather than sweeping the dirt under the rug, it’s so important to face the issue head on and bring ourselves to a healthier state. I would definitely recommend a organisation called “Heart Support” to any readers that are struggling right now.
How have you found writing your third album compared to the others? Living in the same house can be quite challenging, how was it?
Writing ‘Pressure’ was an incredible experience. On previous albums, we were so close to home that we could just go back and sleep in our own beds at the end of the day. Living in LA for a month was completely different, and I think it was really healthy and productive for our band. We were almost forced to reconnect with each other and spend time together. These guys have always been my best friends, but we definitely grew closer to one another during our time out there.
‘Pressure’ has a more melodic approach – was it something that came natural when writing or was it completely out of your comfort zone but a direction the band wanted to push and experiment in?
‘Pressure’ came very naturally during the writing process. We knew that we wanted some type of progression, so we just tried to write the best songs possible without any boundaries. We listen to all kinds of music, and I think that helped us write a very unique and diverse record. We would never write music that felt forced or unnatural. Most of these songs practically wrote themselves and we’ve been stoked about them ever since.
What was your favourite song to write on the album?
My favourite song to write on this record was definitely ‘Grave.’ We wrote it in just a few short hours with Andrew Goldstein and Drew Fulk, and it turned out to be my favourite song on the record. I also love how much Briton shines on this track. He has worked really hard to progress his vocal range and he absolutely killed it. This one is very different for our band, but I think it’s an incredible song and will do some really cool things for our band.
Lately, the music scene can feel quite daunting at times, what has been your biggest challenge as a band so far? And how did you overcome it?
Well, there are lots of challenges that come with touring in general. Keeping up with the insane schedule and trying to stay healthy while also putting on a great show every night can be exhausting in itself. Aside from that, I think every touring band knows how hard it can be to maintain relationships from afar. This is something that we have all dealt with and have talked about a lot. This topic is actually what sparked the lyrics in our new song ‘Ghost’ which is one of my favourites on ‘Pressure’. That’s one thing I absolutely love about this band – we are close enough to talk through our issues and help each other every step of the way.
You’re hitting the road in September in support of the album and touring the UK in January 2020 – how does the band psych themselves up before a show especially in new cities? And how would you describe your live show to someone who hasn’t seen you yet?
Yes, I can’t wait! I think it’s always an exciting time when we have the opportunity to play in a new city or country for the first time. Whenever that happens we try to think of all the people who are most likely watching us perform for the first time. That idea alone is enough inspiration to get us pumped up and play a great show.
We have the best fans in the world, so I would describe our live show as being very energetic – lots of moshing and crowd surfing. The crowd goes hard every single time and I think that allows us to feed off their energy and put it back into our performance.
August has been an insane month for album releases including Knocked Loose, Slipknot, Killswitch Engage, Tool and you! Despite the anxiousness of releasing an album when it’s finally out there do you get a feeling of pride and accomplishment? How are your emotions come release day?
I totally agree! 2019 in general has been an awesome year for music so far. I definitely had that anxiousness before the release – especially because this album showcases a new side of what Wage War is capable of. Since the album has been out, we have witnessed an insane amount of love and support. I totally feel that sense of pride and accomplishment. I said it once and I’ll say it again – we have the best fans in the world. It’s such a good feeling to see the impact that this record is already making in people’s lives and I can’t wait to bring that energy to the stage this fall on the Pressure Tour.
We highly recommend checking out Wage War’s new album ‘Pressure’ (and back catalogue).
You can find the band online at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wagewar/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WageWar
Website: http://wagewarband.com/
Tickets for their UK and Ireland January tour are on sale now. See below for dates:
7 – Bristol, The Fleece (UK)
8 – Nottingham, Rescue Rooms (UK)
10 – Manchester, Rebellion (UK)
11 – Dublin, Academy Green Room (IE)
12 – Glasgow, G2 (UK)
13 – Newcastle, Think Tank? (UK)
15 – Leeds, The Key Club (UK)
16 – Birmingham, O2 Institute 2 (UK)
17 – London, O2 Academy Islington (UK)
18 – Southampton, The Loft (UK)
