| Manic | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | October 1, 2021 | |||
| Recorded | April 2020–July 2021 | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 35:38 | |||
| Label | Fearless | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Wage War chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Manic | ||||
| ||||
Manic is the fourth studio album by American metalcore band Wage War. The album was released on October 1, 2021, through Fearless Records. It was produced by Drew Fulk, Andrew Wade, Jeremy McKinnon and Cody Quistad. [3] [4]
On April 8, 2020, while on their downtime during the period of self-isolation caused by COVID-19 pandemic, Wage War announced on Twitter that they were working on new material for their upcoming record. Along with the announcement, the band also teased a song and wrote: "Making the most of quarantine. #ww4" [5] [6]
On August 6, the band officially released the single "High Horse" along with its music video. [7] [8] On August 25, almost three weeks after the release of "High Horse", the band unveiled the second single "Circle the Drain". At the same time, the band revealed the album itself, the album cover, the track list, and release date. [9] [10] [11] To promote the album, the band also announced that they will support I Prevail's rescheduled European tour along with Dream State in March 2022. [12] [13] [14] On September 14, the band released the third single "Teeth". [15] [16]
During an interview, Cody Quistad revealed that Manic features "songs for the new fans and also the old, but then there's some brand new stuff that I feel like I've never heard bands do before." [17]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| Distorted Sound | 8/10 [18] |
| Kerrang! |   [1] |
| Rock 'N' Load | 9/10 [19] |
| Wall of Sound | 7.5/10 [20] |
The album received generally positive reviews from critics. Distorted Sound scored the album 8 out of 10 and said: "This release, Manic, is a roundup of what the band has felt for the past year and a half, saying that they effectively lost their jobs which obviously came with a lot of frustration. Pairing this with the desire to try out new things with their sound, the results are an album that's well worth your attention." [18] Kerrang! gave the album 4 out of 5 and stated: "It's not a perfect album, and it won't please every fan, but Manic represents a new step forward and when it hits home it absolutely slays. Get ready to Wage War once more." [1] Rock 'N' Load praised the album saying, "Overall, this album is solid, it showcases what Wage War are all about and the progression from their prior albums. Whilst there is nothing new and ground-breaking, it's an impressive showing from the Florida based Quintet and one I'll be listening to after finishing this review." [19] Adam Rice of Wall of Sound gave the album the score 7.5/10, writing: "In my opinion, this isn't Wage War's finest work. It definitely has its moments and had me on the edge of my seat in some songs but there are a few too many skip-worthy tracks that unfortunately dull the shine that Manic had the potential to offer. However, I do encourage everyone to give it a chance and to come up with their own conclusion." [20]
All lyrics are written by Wage War; all music is composed by Wage War
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Relapse" | 2:59 |
| 2. | "Teeth" | 3:08 |
| 3. | "Manic" | 2:44 |
| 4. | "High Horse" | 2:48 |
| 5. | "Circle the Drain" | 3:35 |
| 6. | "Godspeed" | 3:06 |
| 7. | "Death Roll" | 3:01 |
| 8. | "Slow Burn" | 3:09 |
| 9. | "Never Said Goodbye" | 3:19 |
| 10. | "True Colors" | 3:09 |
| 11. | "If Tomorrow Never Comes" | 4:40 |
| Total length: | 35:38 | |
Notes
Wage War
Additional personnel
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums (ARIA) [22] | 76 |
| UK Rock & Metal Albums (OCC) [23] | 18 |
| US Top Hard Rock Albums (Billboard) [24] | 16 |
Asking Alexandria are an English rock band formed in Dubai, United Arab Emirates and now based in York, North Yorkshire, consisting of guitarist Cameron Liddell, drummer James Cassells, vocalist Danny Worsnop, and bassist Sam Bettley.
Set It Off is an American rock band formed in 2008 in Tampa, Florida. The band consists of lead vocalist Cody Carson, guitarist and bassist Zach Dewall, and drummer Maxx Danziger.
Silent Planet is an American metalcore band formed in Azusa, California, in 2009. Their name is derived from C. S. Lewis' science fiction novel Out of the Silent Planet. The group consists of vocalist Garrett Russell, guitarist Mitchell Stark, drummer Alex Camarena and bassist Nick Pocock. They are currently signed to Solid State Records and have released five studio albums. Their latest studio album, Superbloom, was released on November 3, 2023.
I Prevail is an American rock band formed in Southfield, Michigan, in 2013. They released their debut EP Heart vs. Mind (2014) and rose to popularity from releasing a metal cover of Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" as a single, which eventually was certified platinum in the US. The band has since released three studio albums: Lifelines (2016), Trauma (2019), and True Power (2022). The band found success with their original material as well, with the singles "Breaking Down" and "Hurricane" performing well on rock radio, the single "Bow Down" being nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Metal Performance in 2019, and Trauma being nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Rock Album the same year.
Wage War is an American metalcore band formed in Ocala, Florida in 2010 under the name Empires. The band consists of lead vocalist Briton Bond, lead guitarist Seth Blake, rhythm guitarist and clean vocalist Cody Quistad, bassist Chris Gaylord, and drummer Stephen Kluesener.
Deadweight is the second studio album by American metalcore band Wage War. It was released on August 4, 2017, through Fearless Records. It is also the first album to have lead vocalist Briton Bond do clean vocals alongside Cody Quistad on the songs "Never Enough" and "Gravity".
Midnight is the fourth studio album by American band Set It Off. The album was released on February 1, 2019 by record label Fearless Records, being their album debut under this label.
Pressure is the third studio album by American metalcore band Wage War. It was released on August 30, 2019, through Fearless Records. The album was produced by Drew Fulk, Andrew Wade and Jeremy McKinnon.
American metalcore band Wage War has released four studio albums, one EP, twenty-one singles, and eighteen music videos. The band self-released one EP, The Fall of Kings (2011). In 2015, the band signed to Fearless Records. The band released their first studio album, Blueprints, later in 2015 via Fearless. Their second studio album Deadweight was released under the same label in 2017. Their third studio album, Pressure, was released in 2019. Their fourth studio album, Manic, was released in 2021.
This is a timeline documenting the events of heavy metal in the year 2021.
The Path is the sixth studio album by American metalcore band Fit for a King. It was released on September 18, 2020, through Solid State Records and was produced by Drew Fulk. It is the band's first release with guitarist Daniel Gailey. It is also the last album to feature the band's founding drummer Jared Easterling before he left the band in December 2021.
Bullet for My Valentine is the seventh studio album by Welsh heavy metal band Bullet for My Valentine. Originally scheduled for release on 22 October 2021, it was released on 5 November 2021 through Spinefarm Records and was produced by Carl Bown.
Swan Song is the fifth studio album by American rock band The Plot in You. The album was released on September 17, 2021, through Fearless Records. It was produced by Landon Tewers and Drew Fulk.
See What's on the Inside is the seventh studio album by English rock band Asking Alexandria. The album was released on 1 October 2021 through Better Noise Music and was produced by Matt Good. The album is the first release from the band under Better Noise Music.
Happier? is the fourth studio album by American progressive metalcore band Volumes. It was released on November 19, 2021 through Fearless Records. The album was produced by Raad Soudani, Daniel Braunstein and Max Schad.
True Power is the third studio album by American rock band I Prevail, released on August 19, 2022. The album was proceeded by the singles "Body Bag" and "Bad Things". "Self-Destruction", "There's Fear in Letting Go", "Deep End" and "Closure" also later became singles.
Oh What the Future Holds is the sixth studio album by American deathcore band Fit for an Autopsy. The album was released on January 14, 2022, through Nuclear Blast and was produced by the band's guitarist Will Putney. It has received positive reviews from critics.
War of Being is the fifth studio album by British progressive metal band Tesseract. The album was released on 15 September 2023 through Kscope. It was self-produced by the band and Peter Miles.
Superbloom is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Silent Planet. The album was released on November 3, 2023, through Solid State Records and was produced by Daniel Braunstein. It is the first album to feature the band's new bassist Nick Pocock.
Stigma is the fifth studio album by American metalcore band Wage War. The album was released on June 21, 2024, through Fearless Records and was produced by Drew Fulk.
