The War Within

Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of Reality Sets In (RSI) and Rubberband, The War Within present their new self titled EP. While each member of the band has a long history of success in the New Zealand live music scene – The War Within has nothing to do with those stories, rather it is a group vision, evolving in the process of invention, and it is a story all its own. With evocative lyrics and a gorgeous, layered musical framework, their music defies category, walking the razor edge of genre toward their own precise statement. Forming in early 2004, the band began writing and playing, polishing early demos and letting inspiration take its course. Their first show was in Wellington, with Motorway and Count to Zero, and the band has played constantly since then, sharing stages with Sommerset, Sidecar Fury, Rear View Murder, Not Quite Right and The Bleeders. The song writing process has been a steady evolution since the band began. “To me, a song is never finished, it always takes a new direction every time it is performed – recording the songs captured what we were feeling at that moment,” Marcus commented. Lyrically the album exudes passionate emotions. “I have always been an emotional writer,” explained Nathan, “I have never been scared to wear my heart on my sleeve. But I also love incorporating visual imagery into our songs.” The band approached Tim Shackleton, who was doing all of the bands live sound, in regards to doing a CD and shortly afterward, The War Within started plans for recording. “Finding the correct producer for any project is always difficult. It was logical to go with Tim. He knew the band well, had great focus, good clarity in his mixing and sound. He really convinced me of the value of pre-production.” Logan recalled. Shackleton is best known for his work as ex bass player in his band Under and being the ex-owner of the famous Factory recording studio in Wellington. The War Within proves their versatility on the album, with influences ranging from The Get Up Kids to Atreyu, Jimmy Eat World to In Flames and even Iron Maiden to Slayer, The War Within is a true mix of multiple musical styles. Vocalist Nathan Neumann’s powerful melodic singing and gut wrenching screams evoke the pain, struggle and emotion of the complex lyrics, which represent true feelings of heartbreak and frustration with the world. Unlike much of the stagnant New Zealand hard rock scene, The War Within finds a way to keep the music unique and interesting, but always catchy and memorable. Musical innovations including drop C tuning, adding 6/8 measure timing featured in “Seven”, anthemic choruses and tough guitar hooks work well to achieve this…