Various Artists
War Dance-A WAR Music Compilation

March 1999
Released: 1998, WAR Music
Rating: 4.0/5
Reviewer: Nathan Robinson

One of the best underground metal labels has resurfaced with a vengeance, namely Wrong Again Records. After releasing some astonishing albums like In Flames' "Lunar Strain" and "Subterranean", Eucharist's "A Velvet Creation", Arch Enemy's "Black Earth" and "W.A.R. Compilation Volume One", Wrong Again Records disappeared and the aforementioned albums became scarce. But now the record label's back in a new form: WAR Music. And to celebrate they've released another rock solid compilation featuring some new artists as well as some unreleased music.



Naglfar kick things off with one song from both "Diabolical" and "Vittra". Naglfar play black/melodic death metal, and although I'm not totally thrilled by their music, they are a good band and really know their instruments. Death metallers Carnal Forge offer up two (previously unreleased) tracks from their then-forthcoming "Who's Gonna Burn" album. Aggressive, brutal, and maybe a little too similar to The Haunted. Again, they don't give me massive hemorrhages, but a high quality band. Darkane's next with two unreleased songs: "July 1999" and "Convicted". Great stuff. Aggressive, thrashy, and melodic…somewhat similar to Armageddon or Soilwork. Top-notch musicianship and different enough to catch my interest.



Eucharist, a fucking brilliant band, is represented by the title track from their new album "Mirrorworlds" and an older rarity "Wounded and Alone". Do yourself a huge favor and get "Mirrorworlds"!!!! It is Swedish melodic death metal at its absolute best! "Wounded and Alone", originally appearing on "W.A.R. Compilation Volume One", is another excellent song. Too bad its partner, "The Predictable End", wasn't included. These two tracks are the highlight of this compilation.



Cryptopsy is next with "Slit Your Guts" from the album "None So Vile". Another high-quality band making blistering classic brutal and slightly technical death metal, sounding similar to Suffocation. Good stuff indeed. Arch Enemy appear with "Losing Faith", one of the bonus tracks off the Japanese release of their first album. A great song along the same lines as the other material off "Black Earth", and a real treat for the listeners here. It's a wonder why they didn't put it on their debut. In Flames follow with the masterpiece "Biosphere" from their rare "Subterranean" EP. Simply awesome! Dimension Zero, the extreme melodic-death In Flames side project, come forth with an unreleased song entitled "They are Waiting to Take Us". Another gem! Why wasn't this on their very short debut? "Forgiven Sins", an unreleased track from In Thy Dreams is another high quality melodic death metal song, but not groundbreaking. The disc closes with a rough unreleased version of "The Juggernaut Divine" from Armageddon, Christopher Amott's now defunct band. Nothing really different than the album version, but a great song nonetheless.



One thing you're pretty much guaranteed with Wrong Again Records/WAR Music is that the bands they offer(ed) are/were very talented. This is the best compilation I have heard since 1995's "W.A.R. Compilation Volume One". If you think you like Swedish death metal and are unfamiliar with these bands, then by all means get this compilation to help you on your quest for metal!