“I’m lit up by the symptoms of reality, all that’s inside of me.”
Many bands rise to the surface when conversation commences surrounding Aussie metalcore — Parkway Drive, Northlane, I Killed The Prom Queen, Make Them Suffer, Hellions, Polaris, and the list goes on. A band I hear little mention of, however, is the legendary Windwaker, whose name is derived from the eponymously-titled Legend Of Zelda game.
For the uninitiated, Windwaker gained much momentum amongst their contemporaries with the release of EP’s Fade and Empire in 2017 and 2019 respectively, offering up a unique metalcore blend with hooky, multi-dimensional tracks that just had that special something about them. Now after a couple of relatively quiet years, Windwaker have joined the hefty roster of Fearless Records artists, and are here to conjure a magical storm with their full-length debut, Love Language.
From the outset, it is evident that Windwaker have been on the grind since their last release, relentlessly refining themselves with lead single and opening track ‘Beautiful’. This song is a serious statement piece and introduces the forty-minute album flawlessly. Vocalist Will King kicks things off with the infectious intro lyric “Tell me what it means to be beautiful / I’m trying my best to show / I’m ready to take control.”
Meanwhile, drummer and programmer Chris Lalic holds the fort with some frenetic, punchy drum-work alongside the incredibly tight guitar and bass combination of Jesse Crofts and Indey Salvestro. ‘Beautiful’ is exactly what it says on the tin, and provides plenty of promise straight out of the gate.
Second single and early album highlight ‘Lucy’ is where things really begin to click into place — Windwaker are unapologetically capitalising on those gorgeous Issues vibes that we all know and love. ‘Lucy’ is awash with moving melodicism, containing a captivating chorus that just begs for repeat listens. If you long for more of Headspace or Beautiful Oblivion, look no further than ‘Lucy’.
If there’s one thing that Love Language is utterly replete with, it is variety. Surprises await around each and every corner, and nothing on the record caught me off guard quite as much as the brilliantly-titled ‘Dopamine Freestyle’. Here, King lays down some ferocious, light-speed rap-scream sections, lending heaps of attitude and vigour in what is ultimately a real standout song.
Love Language isn’t entirely without fault, however. At least to my tastes, King’s usage of over-exaggerated pop-punk-style clean vocals midway through ‘Nighthawk’ and all through the title track comes off quite cringeworthy.
Fortunately, the shortcomings present on Love Language are vastly outshone by the record’s brightest moments. ‘Me + You, But Mostly Me’ is nothing short of a true Aussie anthem, and is destined to hit home with fans and newcomers alike. Meanwhile, ‘Glow’ exudes so much groove and swagger whilst bringing with it some major Bad Omens vibes, which I’m all for.
Lastly, I’d be remiss to not mention penultimate track ‘Hide & Seek’. This song perfectly encapsulates a band that has gone through the wringer and has finally found their footing; ‘Hide & Seek’ just sounds like Windwaker. You’ve got to give it to them — Windwaker have built up such a broad, colourful spectrum of sounds across not just the runtime of Love Language but from a fruitful eight-year career, and fused them into such a superb signature sound here.
In conclusion, I massively enjoyed my time with Love Language. This is a record I foresee some may require a while to truly warm to — pioneers are rarely fully understood at first. With a little time however, Love Language unfolds like a blossoming flower, and offers up a vivid, vibrant and wildly entertaining experience that just cannot be found anywhere else. The diversity showcased by Windwaker fills me with inescapable optimism for their future, and I genuinely admire them for condensing such a radiant gamut of sonic styles into one true trademark.
8.5/10
Love Language by Windwaker will be released via Fearless Records on Friday May 6th 2022, and you can pre-order it here. For all the latest on the sounds of 2022 and beyond, stick with us at Boolin Tunes.