BAND: Waves Like Walls   | Facebook : http://on.fb.me/1Me04oj
ALBUM: Brain As A Weapon EP
RELEASE DATE: 25.7.2013
GENRE: Hardcore/Metalcore
COUNTRY: Germany
LABEL: 10th Legion Records  | http://on.fb.me/1gpoz5D

Waves Like Walls is a hardcore band with metalcore elements, catchy melodies, 2-step transitions and heavy breakdowns based in Ingolstadt/Germany and founded in June 2012. Their lyrics are a critique on modern society. They shared the stage with some pretty big names of the hardcore scene like Landscapes, Deez Nuts, Strike Anywhere and others. Waves Like Walls dropped their debut 4-songs EP titled "Brain As A Weapon" through10th Legion Records in July 2013.  It was recorded at Another Diamond Recordings in Germany.

"Brain As A Weapon" starts with the sound of the sea which soon gets covered by a guitar melody that just fits perfect for the intro. The name of the first song is "Will We Stand There?". With the duration of minute and 9 seconds, this is a solid metalcore song with hardcore influence and it nicely indicates the sound of this EP. Lyrically this song describes the theme that is really close to me, personally, since I live my whole life as a vegetarian. The song questions the slavery of animals farmed through factory farming in industrialized countries and calls out to all of us to be more aware of the poor circumstances that these animals are forced to "live" in. The name of the song and the theme of it are connected perfectly.

Song number 2 on this EP is called "Brain As A Weapon" and it's the featured song of this EP. Starting with a heavy breakdown which slightly reminds me of Attack Attack's song "Smokahontas", this is a fast hardcore song with featured bass sound in the verse and simple melancholy parts played by the lead guitar.  This is just followed by an even heavier beatdown and breakdown. These guys are definitely playing it hard and unsafe! The whole lyrical idea of this song is about opening your mind up and thinking for yourself instead of just blindly following any kind of religion and cultural misunderstandings which are causing great damage to humanity.

The next song is track number 3, titled as "You're Not A Hero". This is a heavy and extremely angry song in which the singer at some point says: "If you do it again, I will cut your head off". The way the vocalist says that is really impressive and it instantly makes you angry. But don't think that this song is describing pointless violence, the real story behind it is that there are some people amongst us who think they're superior or better than the rest, when there's no legit reason for it. The vocalist is expressing his rage through lyrics in a right way. Again, this is the heaviest song on the EP, riffs and all the instruments are just perfectly creating the ambient for lyrics to come into the light.

The EP ends with "Family And Friends".  The guitar melody in the intro and drum parts on toms is what leads us into this song. Another banging breakdown then turns into a fast verse which ends with a few seconds long pause. An excellent beatdown which instantly makes you want to mosh is what follows. The beatdown soon steps into a fast 2-step. Guitars exchanging at times and some well put breaks is what makes this song really solid. The story behind the lyrics is describing the meaning of family and friends and it highlights that we should always keep them close. When we have problems or we have to take shit from other people, they will be the ones to help us out and stick by our side no matter what. This song is a tribute to them.

I never really payed much attention to Waves Like Walls before, but after listening to this EP I definitely fell in love with them. I think they hold much potential which can be realized, they just need to find a way to be a bit more unique. But, otherwise, this is a really solid mix of hardcore and metalcore stuff. I recommend!

Rate: 8/10

Timi Aiden | Of Core's
OfCores