Whitechapel

Our Endless War

BY Bradley Zorgdrager Published Apr 25, 2014

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Whitechapel's new logo proved controversial amongst fans when the band added a simple block letter take on the name to their echelon. Though the band's clarification that they weren't getting rid of their "deathcore" logo should have appeased sullen supporters, the decision's importance is in the underlying meaning; their choice to utilize a cleaner, more mature-looking logo is indicative of a deeper shift in the band: a breaking free from any stylistic chains to a specific subgenre.

Early material indicated an allegiance to deathcore, and certain parts seemed written to fit that mould. Over their five albums, they have increasingly allowed the songs to dictate their content and flow, rather than a quota for brutality. Never has this been more evident than on their latest, Our Endless War. The titular track takes the band's sound and filters it through thrash metal, while the majority of the tracks bounce between deathcore and more groove-based ones, with vocalist Phil Bozeman's rhythmic vocals enhancing the pulsing beats.

With smartly layered melodies and excellent vocalists, the band really isn't that far off from a parallel universe Lamb of God (if they were raised on Aborted), at least in theory. This is a huge compliment, as Whitechapel are positioned to follow the purveyors of "pure American metal" to a more mainstream metal crowd without compromising their integrity.
(Metal Blade)

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