Metalcore is a term I use rarely as in my mind it doesn’t ever accurately encompass any bands sound or influences. It is a generic term that is slapped upon almost every band that seems to wear vans, sports several tattoos and were formed within the past couple of years; an easy label for a band that fuses various influences from song to song and is not obviously Hardcore, Punk or Death Metal, but rather a bit of everything. Winds Of Plague most certainly fall within this group of bands that have been shoehorned into this particular ill-fitting classification, but you can see why.

The bands previous offering ‘Decimate the Weak’ was an accomplished offering if a little over polished in production terms, which did detract somewhat from what was some very sound new-wave Death Metal; or at least a West Coast interpretation of Death Metal. To the casual observer Winds Of Plague are but a variation on a theme recreating Bleeding Through, when in fact the comparison starts and ends with them both having six members one of which is a woman! Yet there in lines the whole Metalcore tag, as I said ill fitting and as wide of the mark as a short sighted sniper.

In ‘The Great Stone War’ Winds Of Plague have taken giant steps forward both in their overall sound and originality. The album takes on more of the Death Metal influences than we saw glimpses of previously making the songs more focused in their delivery. Jonny Plague’s vocals have however not moved on with the rest of the band, and that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The mix of shouts, screams and growls play the perfect foil to the subtle balance between intricate fret work and pummelling all guns blazing Death Metal. Production could still be a little less refined for my personal tastes but to find such faults is to split hairs. The album takes on a rough concept feel, tackling the possible world implosion, which is far from your stereotypical Death Metal gore galore blood fest; again showing the bands imagination and desire to stand out from the crowd.

It’s hard not to see Winds Of Plague catching the eye, and ear of the new generation of Death Metal fans out there. The addition of Kristen Randall’s keyboards has added a dynamic layer to the bands sound and the progression from album to album is more than encouraging, leaving you with the impression this is a band still learning their craft and can only go from strength to strength. So in school report card terms, must try harder but good progression so far.