| Musical Style: Heavy Metal | Produced By: |
| Record Label: Roxx Records | Country Of Origin: USA |
| Year Released: 2025 | Artist Website: Weapons Of God |
| Tracks: 12 | Rating: 95% |
| Running Time: 61:21 |
Adhering to the same basic formula as its predecessors, the July of 2025 Roxx Records third Weapons Of God album TRIbulation is all about traditional heavy metal and straightforward hard rock with intermittent progressive and doom metal overtones. Lyrically, the Dayton, Ohio based four piece also maintains its self-proclaimed faith based ‘positive metal’ approach but with a twist in reference to the play on words to the TRIbulation title. Specifically, album closes to a three song TRIlogy, “Ten Crowns”, “Damnation Riders” and “Salvation Is Here”, that chronologically follows the tribulation: ‘the end of time’ and ‘(how) judgement will be called on the human race’ (quoting the groups press material).
Weapons Of God traces to 2014 when it was founded by guitarist and vocalist Steve McGowan, guitarist and vocalist, Leon Black, bassist Ed Girard and drummer Greg Alan. Subsequent to recording its first demo in 2015, the group signed with Roxx Records for its 2019 self-titled debut to feature ‘songwriting (when) at its best is technically solid and flashes of brilliance, but at times also lack the distinct hooks to separate and draw you in with repeat listen’ (quoting the 75% Angelic Warlord review). Sophomore effort The War Within (also Roxx) from 2021 finds the group ‘taking its songwriting to the next level (from highlighting) greater consistency along with more distinct hooks and weightier guitar riffs’ (85% Angelic Warlord review).
On TRIbulation, Weapons Of God continues to mature musically by elevating creativity and inspiration and composing its finest package of songs to date. Opener “The Devilution” manifests such, awash in a despoiling aura found in the harrying rhythm guitar and gruff lower register vocals that dispatch the song its length. It is not all enmity, however, in that forthright hooks separate to stand above the ransacking scene.
“Death Of Me” contrasts with its vivacious styling, as Weapons Of God launch into an in-your-face tempo with a borderline thrash resonance (noting the vibrant instrumental moments) and periodic double kick drum (pinpointing the work of newcomer Jason Harmon). Again, the group reveals its predilection for concocting catchy hooks that draw in with repeat play. Lyric snippet:
I heard the whisper
Of a gentle voice
Rise up from the ashes
And make a choice
Leave behind the old
Step into the light
To find my redemption
In the darkness of night
“Double Barreled Medicine” takes a melodic stance in upholding the kinetic virtues. A groove driven low-end powers the song its span, Girard gets quite the workout on bass as he trades off with the McGowan and Black guitar team, alongside an at times gravelly woven and others melodic vocal trade off. Upshot is another engaging at once mentality. Interestingly, final seconds consist of guitar feedback mirroring the melody to “The Star Spangled Banner”.
Six and half minute “Hypnotized” covers its first three minutes instrumentally: ominous sound effects to start give way to haunting guitars, which transition to several seconds of doom like plundering ahead of an expeditious tempo. Moving forward song does not miss a step, hard charging with equal parts technical acumen and the intensely driven to border on power metal. All the while, the malicious melody rising above the cacophonous vista remains fixed in your mind. Lyric snippet:
Waiting for the night to fall
Everyone on the run
Reaching out for Jesus Christ
Before the lightning strikes
Jezebel’s on the fall
Jezebel’s on the run
Come out of her evil sins
Never to return again!
“Frame Of Mind” might be albums shortest at three minutes but proves equally adept. It defines as another energy explosion, bursting of passionate spoken word vocals and erupting guitars dripping of fervor, vehemence and torridity. The fuming disposition brings to mind shorter Barren Cross songs “Killers Of The Unborn” and “Cultic Regimes” (off Atomic Arena from 1988). The passion at hand almost touches upon the punk like.
“Empty Room” shines as a straight on slugger- no-nonsense and in your face with an infuriated power/thrash mentality. No, not the catchiest, but it is alluring all the same from the all out assertiveness imparting an insuperable persuasion that refused to be denied. Fellow Ohio metal act Antithesis comes to mind. Lyric snippet:
God I miss you, gone too soon
Taken from us, empty room
You are I AM, I am all yours
Who shall bring charge against God’s elect?
Persecution, danger, distress?
Who shall divide us from the love of Christ?
Tribulation, famine or sword?
“An Open Letter To Corporatocracy” might be a mouthful of a title, but it is another essential track. Song speaks of the catchy its length: riffs engage in redoubled fashion, lower register vocals vent a tempting flair and virulent refrain emits of the galvanic. There is otherwise a lot going on here, whether the offbeat opening and closing sound effects or ominous mid-point backing vocals.
“Tribes”, a play on words song in line with the TRI prefix, reverberates of the enterprising and ambitious with its underpinning sense of Bride style Snakes In The Playground aesthetics. Lending further resolve are ample portions of robotic industrial style riffs (in a positive sense) along with a voice over from Martin Luther King. The prevailing inspiration allows “Tribes” to rank with albums finest.
The six and half-minute “Innocent Blood” proves an ominous but highly melodic progressive acoustic based ballad that hints of “Shadow Gallery”. It begins to child voices repeating the chorus to “Jesus Loves The Little Children” ahead of drifting through its opener verse acoustically and second in trenchant guitar driven fashion. Sweeping refrain runs the gamut from vitalized to acoustic. In the end, what we have is one of the better anti abortion songs you will hear:
Innocent blood upon the earth
Thrown away all their worth
When you kill, when they die
Can you hear the angels cry?
Father God,
Please guide their souls
Lead them back to Your heavenly home
Lay them down and let them sleep
I know their souls
Lord, You will keep
If TRIbulation ended at this point, it in my opinion it would present with enough standout material to challenge for album of the year. The presence of the Tribulation trilogy, however, allows the album to reside potentially within all time classic territory. It begins with “Ten Crowns”, a progressive eight minutes of doom like riffs - bleak, dire and baleful - that while not catchy in a melodic sense, override with a foreboding sense of power. Periodic shouted backing vocals build upon the morose to hold sway, while guitar harmonies for the instrumental moments provide a contrasting graceful element. I am reminded of Deliverance’s “Flesh & Blood” (off Weapons Of Our Warfare from 1990). Lyric snippet:
The moon becomes blood
Star’s fall from the sky
Trumpets announce the signs of end times
Prepare the way for the King’s return
Judgement day comes
The wicked shall burn
“Damnation Riders” represents tough as nails classic US power metal, bursting of galloping impetus and technical proclivity but also evenly flowing from the melodic based to gruff lower register vocal trade off. A darkened backend ambience hints of Sacred Warrior. That said lone complaint is that the recurrent heavyset backing vocals can get repetitive. Lyric snippet:
Behold the black horse
A pair of scales in his hand
A days wage it costs
Bringing famine across the land
There was a pale horse
Death is his name
Hell follows with him
Death’s destruction proclaimed!
“Salvation Is Here” sums up the trilogy in palpitating fashion. It impresses as another traditional metal meets hard rock assailer, drifting forward as rolling drums align with stinging in and out of the mix guitars (for the brusque verse sections) but also upraised in heartening fashion (noting the gladdening refrain). Interestingly, the inclemently tough as nails vocals hint of Sidney Allen Johnson (Babylon Mystery Orchestra). Also, note that covering the final 15 seconds to “Salvation Is Here” is a humorous ‘hidden’ bonus thrash piece entitled “Get Of My Lawn”. Lyric snippet:
A beast, seven heads, ten horns
Rise from the sea
Ten crowns
Throw three down
In peace
To deceive
Through the veil of our sin
You ride on the wind
Your white horse
Salvation is here
Third Weapons Of God full length TRIbulation is an album of the year candidate. It begins with songwriting, which oozes of creative inspiration in that each song brings that unique element allowing it to separate and stand on its own- in other words, great song after great song. It also encompasses band performance, including expansive lower register vocals not to mention equally convincing musicianship. The closing ‘Tribulation trilogy’ tops things off. If a fan of Weapons Of God or traditional metal meets hard rock meets power metal meets doom metal meets progressive metal (or whatever combination therein) make the album an immediate purchase.
Review by Andrew Rockwell
Track Listing: “The Devilution” (5:56), “Death Of Me” (4:37), “Double Barreled Medicine” (4:10), “Hypnotized” (6:28), “Frame Of Mind” (3:00), “Empty Room” (4:46), “An Open Letter To Corporatocracy” (5:03), “Tribes” (3:39), “Innocent Blood” (6:37), “Ten Crowns” (7:53), “Damnation Riders” (4:35), “Salvation Is Here” (4:35)
Musicians
Steve McGowan - Guitars & Vocals
Leon Black - Guitar & Vocals
Ed Girard - Bass
Jason Harmon - Drums
