War//Plague – Manifest Ruination

Fifteen years in the crust punk trenches hasn’t degraded War//Plague’s rabble-rousing capabilities one iota. I’m sure, like the rest of us, the Minneapolis-based band have felt exhausted by life’s endless trials, especially in recent times. I’m also sure, like any long-lived underground band, War//Plague’s enthusiasm for the cause has likely fluctuated over the years. However, there’s no question that the heavy-hitting veterans sound fired-up and battle-ready on their latest LP, Manifest Ruination.

Manifest Ruination is an apropos title considering ruin is writ large across every stratum of society. Ruination is what we do, right? It almost feels preordained. But should we surrender to our doom? Or should we make a final stand amongst the rubble of late-stage capitalism and environmental devastation? It’s a tough choice, but one thing’s for sure, if you choose to fight, War//Plague’s got your back.

On the one hand, the band’s latest tracks are first-rate examples of bulldozing crust. If that’s all you’re looking for, then have at it; Manifest Ruination will amply reward your hunger for tough-as-steel riffs and guttural growls. Dig a little deeper, though, and you’ll find that Manifest Ruination is also a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

How so? Well, for a start, War//Plague forgo cheap theatrics, repeatedly proving, through heads-down, dogged effort, that they genuinely give a shit. Theirs is uncompromising music purpose-built to wage war against passive background chatter. Right up front, War//Plague have something to say, and the fire blazing in the band’s belly isn’t remotely surprising given the current state of affairs.

Abundant complex issues fuel War//Plague’s creative engine: see Covid’s rampage; an anxious mind in anxious times; reality-warping rhetoric; ever-encroaching fascism; rampant materialism; a climate emergency; communities in crisis; and repressive ideologies upending hard-fought social progress. Clearly, there are plenty of things worth fighting for, and Manifest Ruination duly radiates a mammoth amount of rage. In all honesty, though, that abundant red-hot anger isn’t unique to Manifest Ruination.

Across a dozen (or so) releases, War//Plague’s pissed-off protest punk has always thrummed with electrifying anger, the kind that’ll scorch your central nervous system. In essence, that’s why War//Plague are a great band—they’re a live-fucking-wire. I’ve written about several of the group’s releases before, and I always feel compelled to repeat two essential facts: War//Plague’s rage feels authentic, and it’s enduring.

Those aren’t inconsequential facts to consider. The ‘rage’ that some punk bands express feels hollow and performative. However, there’s something to be said for a bunch of grizzled lifers like War//Plague. Most punk groups burn out quickly, and there’s no pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for bands of War//Plague’s ilk. It means something to have hung on in there, overcoming, no doubt, countless hurdles. More than anything, War//Plague’s dedication underlines their authenticity; to me, that kind of integrity matters.

Written in the depths of the pandemic, you might expect Manifest Ruination to sound disjointed or distracted. It wouldn’t be too strange if War//Plague sounded preoccupied with other pressing concerns. However, that’s not the case. If anything, the group sounds like they took full advantage of their studio time to record a heap of stress-trampling tracks.

Much like War//Plague’s previous releases, Manifest Ruination paints an evocative picture of fractured lives, crumbling cities, and society in a free-fall collapse. If you’ve not tuned into War//Plague before, their sound combines the signature essentials of knockout Scandi and North American crust. You can expect dynamic assaultiveness and fist-in-the-air defiance, with post-punk, barrelling thrash, d-beat, and brooding hardcore all playing significant roles. (FYI: a little of death metal’s temper also features, albeit channelled through a gruff stenchcore filter.)

You can probably guess War//Plague’s prime influences: Amebix, Antisect, Deviated Instinct, Doom, Axegrinder, Extinction of Mankind, and Misery (Or feel free to choose your own grim and hulking outfit from the anvil-heavy crust sphere). If you dig any of those groups mentioned above, you’ll likely find War//Plague’s ferocious songs appealing. Thickset chugging riffs and red-hot leads propel the band’s dark-toned tracks, and plenty of War//Plague’s music traverses metal-friendly terrain. In fact, if your diehard metalhead pal is constantly banging on about Disfear or Wolfbrigade, you might like to nudge them towards War//Plague (or Hellshock, Decomp, or Rigorous Institution, who’ve also released A+ heavyweight LPs this year.)

Manifest Ruination‘s first two tracks—”Vacillation” and “Subterfuge”—deliver a savage opening salvo. Gut-punching metallic punk mixes with whatever it takes to conjure the powder-keg hostilities of the current era. Capturing the tension of the times has always been one of War//Plague’s strongest suits, and that’s something Manifest Ruination also exhibits in a visceral fashion.

Tracks like “Bed of Nails,” “Synthetic Forms” and “Grief” detonate with volcanic fury. Things get heavy, real heavy, as guitarist/vocalist Andy Lutz and guitarist/backing vocals Andy Lefton tear into Manifest Ruination‘s tracks, dispensing gouging riffs that crackle with volatility. Drummer Chad Brunsell and bassist Vern DeFoe power things forward with relentless, crushing momentum. But while ‘relentless’ is an apt descriptor for much of Manifest Ruination‘s runtime, there are moments where War//Plague stretch things out with a winding intro or slow things down and ratchet the tension before the all-important release.

Obviously, there’s enormous cathartic benefit in expelling the myriad frustrations of modernity via explosive outbursts of harsh ‘n’ heavy punk. You and I know that revelling in disorder and discord is just as effective at easing our burdens as embracing harmony and beauty. War//Plague’s raging approach will definitely help exorcise our collective demons. But the band also deliver something crucial in these challenging times: a means of resistance.

It’s understandable if you want to switch off and hide from the world. The round-the-clock barrage of harrowing news stories is punishing. (Not to mention the endless rivers of shit we have to negotiate in our personal lives.) But while rip-roaring tracks like “Manifest Ruination”, “Vultures”, and “Anxiety” explore bleak and anxious circumstances, War//Plague aren’t here to simply catalogue our worst misdemeanours or underline our shortcomings as a species.

Framing War//Plague’s fierce critiques is a strong sense of hope. At least, speaking truth to power, or laying our fears and failings bare, also requires believing that change is possible; that we can do better. War//Plague aren’t just screaming nihilistic diatribes into a pitch-black void. They’re exposing wounds, no matter how ugly, in order to heal them. War//Plague’s songs aren’t just a means of attack. They’re anthems of dissent and soundtracks of rebellion. Ultimately, Manifest Ruination delivers a message of support and understanding. Sure, that message is embedded in a violent storm of chainsawing guitars, gravel-gargling vocals, and percussive mayhem. But that’s the deafening means of communication that we hold dear. That’s why we’re all here—we fucking love noise.

Is listening to War//Plague going to fix everyone’s woes? Obviously not. But while Manifest Ruination tracks like “Disruption” and “Necrosis” serve up thick slices of rip-roaring crust, they also elevate those of us who’ve been beaten down or shoved into the margins. Manifest Ruination reminds us that we are not alone in our suffering. War//Plague speak of pain and concerns we all share. In doing so, Manifest Ruination‘s blistering songs remind us that we are seen and, even more importantly, that we are heard.

At this point, I feel obligated to offer some kind of criticism of Manifest Ruination. And look, in the interest of balance, if bristling metallic crust doesn’t float your boat, Manifest Ruination isn’t for you. I’m sure some self-appointed tastemaker will mutter stadium crust under their breath at some point, as if instrumental proficiency and Manifest Ruination‘s sledgehammering production were both grievous sins. Still, you can’t please everyone.

Some fans like their punk to be cruder-than-crude, which is fine; I love shitty-sounding recordings too. But this isn’t that; this is thundering crust, not skeletal or ramshackle raw punk. Don’t get me wrong, there’s plenty of dirt and buzzing distortion here, and War//Plague are a harsh-sounding band. But, structurally, everything is super-tight in tone and texture.

The last potential hiccup would be if you were angling for something arch, disparaging, or gimmicky. War//Plague aren’t any of those things. They’re seriously-minded about the task at hand. Although, there’s undoubtedly rawness in the band’s honesty and plenty of hard-bitten cynicism in some of their lyrics.

In the end, you’ll know what to expect if you’re a fan of War//Plague’s previous bludgeoning full-lengths—see the (highly recommended) Into The Depths, Carrion, and On a Darker Dawn. War//Plague don’t concern themselves with marketability or keep track of the latest trends. Truth and substance matter infinitely more than appeasing the cool kids’ club.

We live in a world where we exploit the earth’s resources without considering the toll future generations will have to pay. We bear witness to the devastating impact of climate change, yet desperate greed still reigns supreme. Worst of all, in the depths of a global health catastrophe, we bicker about madcap theories as the tragic death of far too many loved ones carries on regardless. Who wouldn’t be depressed by the state of the world? Conflict is everywhere, from inane workplace disputes to the horrific sight of cruise missiles slamming into apartment blocks. Life is tough; it’s a goddamn endurance test. But that’s where War//Plague’s armour-plated crust enters the fray to supercharge your resilience while purging your distress.

I recently saw a poster for a show that featured the tagline, “keep on rockin’ in the crust war”. Aside from raising a chuckle, that also made me think of all the time War//Plague have spent on the frontlines. It’s impressive they’ve maintained combat readiness. Doubly so, considering Manifest Ruination gives voice to our collective anger in such an energetic way. Add in War//Plague’s bruising physicality and the powerhouse momentum of their latest tracks, and there’s all the evidence you need to prove that the band’s passion remains undiminished.

I’ve said it before, but War//Plague’s stampeding crust conveys both urgency and insurgency. Fuck ersatz punk and pointless hesitancy. We need to step up and take action right now, and Manifest Ruination is a riotous call to arms in extremely troubled times.

Manifest Ruination doesn’t just underscore War//Plague’s tenacity and integrity; it also reinforces the band’s unquenchable thirst for social justice. Manifest Ruination is as raucous and real as one of those battles currently being fought outside your door. Get amongst it, compadre. It’s no time to sit on the sidelines. As I said, War//Plague’s got your back.