Review || Wisdom in Chains - "Nothing In Nature Respects Weakness"

It’s been a rather long time since I last reviewed a hardcore record. There are not a lot of landmark hardcore bands still as active as Wisdom in Chains and their seventh full length, "Nothing in Nature Respects Weakness", released through Demons Run Amok on July 20th of 2018, is proof that bands such as them have become legendary in that genre for a reason. 

I was in a hardcore band once. Filling in for another bassist I ended up playing for My Turn for well over a year and in that time I became greatly associated with everything that surrounds hardcore punk, while until then I was primarily into punk rock music. Everyone else in the band could be described as hardcore expertise so it was really easy to take in all of the knowledge. Musically for us everything was on the table when we wrote songs and I believe that my punk rock background had an influence as well, melody being a significant part of the composing; that’s where Wisdom in Chains came in as a constant reference.      
Of course Wisdom in Chains is not exactly a melodic hardcore punk band. Spanning a 17 year career not much has changed in their musical approach; in essence this is an east coast hardcore type of band but what makes them stand out is the blending of so many things into their sound. 80’s metal, anthemic punk rock, thrash crossovers are still all there in "Nothing in Nature Respects Weakness" and this variety is something that has always fascinated me with Wisdom in Chains. The band showcases some of their best work with hardcore songs "Life Lessons", "Already Dead", "Someday" and "Turn my Back", turns to the somewhat darker side of what you could call metal in 2018 with The Boy and the Cave, "Slow Down", "Palisade Cliffs" and "Halfway There" - my personal favorites on the album - and share punk rock touches with "Better Than I Was", "Ultimatum" and "Heart of a Champion".     

This is what makes Wisdom in Chains stand out so much in today’s hardcore scene. Obviously Mad Joe Black’s singing is something that fits like a glove but the music is so far beyond the classic hardcore riffs and heavy breakdowns, it’s actually compelling to listen more carefully. 
Skipping just a couple of songs on "Nothing in Nature Respects Weakness" could have been an option for me, but all in all this is a highly interesting record and a job very well done.  
8.5/10

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