Wage War – IT CALLS ME BY MY NAME
Release Date: 17th April 2026
Florida five-piece Wage War are back with their newest EP, IT CALLS ME BY MY NAME. The five-track release is inspired by their hometown and the rage of the world we currently live in. The combination of heavy guitars, screaming vocals, and thunderous drum work yields a gritty, pulsing expression of rage and frustration.
Opener, ‘SONG OF THE SWAMP’, is a hardcore nod to their home, Ocala, Florida, which mixes swamp wildlife noises and heavy-hitting industrial metalcore. These same swamp sounds are used to play the EP out in its final song, ‘PURIFY’, the heaviest song on this release. Taking ‘SONG OF THE SWAMP’ literally, it is about the creatures you may find hiding in swamps – such as alligators, who are notorious predators within the state, but you could also use these ‘creatures’ as metaphors for the ruthlessness of anger within us.
The following track, ‘4×4’ has an almost updated old school metalcore sound, almost as if KoRn started to become screamo, a sound that the world absolutely needed. ‘4×4’ is a hard-hitting, anthemic heavy metal tune that mixes tasty riffs, aggressive drum beats, and intense vocals. ‘4×4’ is a track not to be missed.
We receive some silky smooth vocals from rhythm guitarist Cody Quistad alongside singer Briton Bond on both ‘BLINDFOLD’ and ‘KARMA’, adding a melodious depth to this unrelenting release. ‘BLINDFOLD’ takes on a more melodic metalcore sound, reminiscent of a heavy Dayseeker, with yearning lyrics of a toxic relationship to match. ‘KARMA’ is a song about… well, karma! Using a building, pulsing sound, and a mixture of screaming, clean vocals, and even some whisper-growl vocals creates a feeling of unease, a vengeful sound designed to make the subject dread their karma.
Overall, IT CALLS ME BY NAME is a short yet fantastic addition to Wage War’s ever-growing discography, and a loving nod to their home.