Photos & writing by Justin Doan
Florida metalcore band Wage War brought their “It Calls Me By Name Tour” to the Ritz in Raleigh, North Carolina this past week. The tour, which features opening acts, Nevertel and Orthodox, is part of the band’s current US tour in support of their latest EP of the same name. Wage War has been a staple in the metalcore community since their formation in 2010 and quickly became known for hard-hitting breakdowns, melodic choruses and guttural vocals from lead vocalist Briton Bond.
Up first for the night were Nashville heavy-hitters, Orthodox. The band came onto stage and immediately caused the room to erupt into a high-energy environment. The crowd became ecstatic when the unmistakable guitar notes of their hit song “Sacred Place” began to play and an announcement from vocalist Adam Easterling stating, “We are Orthodox. Become a problem.” For the next 30 minutes, the Ritz experienced ground-shaking breakdowns and chaos of the best kind that can only be expected when a band like Orthodox commands the room.
Next up was rock band Nevertel, known for mixing genres such as metalcore, pop and hip-hop. Singers, Jeremy Michael and Raul Lopez, took to the stage and immediately had the audience in the palms of their hands. Kicking off their set with their popular song, “Break The Silence”, everyone in the venue was singing and rapping along. As their time on stage continued, Michael called for a circle pit around the famous pole in the middle of the Ritz and the crowd did not disappoint him as the entire center of the room became a circle of people in motion. With catchy verses and choruses, Nevertel is a band that is quickly taking over the modern alternative music scene.
Finally the time was approaching for Wage War to take the stage as crews cleared the previous bands gear and revealed swamp grass and moss hanging from microphone stands, lights and even the drum-kit. A stage set-up fitting for a band that grew up in the humid swamps of Florida. When the lights went dark, the fans roared as the band walked onto stage with Briton Bond taking his place center-stage looking out at the audience as the intro-guitar riff of “4×4” began to fill the room. Instantly the crowd began to push forward to the barricade and an endless supply of crowd-surfers began to make their way forward. Over the next 80 minutes, Wage War delivered hit after hit to the delight of the crowd with songs spanning their entire career catalogue. Singles such as “Tombstone” and “Death Roll” brought the energy to an even higher level when multiple circle pits erupted throughout the venue and made it a concert to remember for all of those in attendance.
There are currently only two shows left on the US leg of the “It Calls Me By Name Tour”, however Wage War will be hitting the road overseas in Australia and Europe as the year continues, as well as a few festival dates back in the United States. The heaviness of a Wage War show can not be understated and is something all metalcore fans should aim to experience. Make sure to keep an eye out for future tour announcements so you don’t miss them when they come near you!
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