SONG REVIEW: Weaponize - "Egokill"
“Weaponize delivers Garden State Metalcore at it’s best in new single”
by Jesse Smith
The Garden State has been up there with one of the best heavy music scenes in the country for some time there. I’m not biased or anything because NJ is my home state, but simply educated on the matter first hand. Bands like Lorna Shore, Sentinels, Palisades, The Air I Breathe and more have all had roots in the NJ local scene and still to this day, there are bands coming up the ranks that are making some noise. Weaponize is a Metalcore band that is ripping the scene out there in a moment and a band that I have been aware of for many years. Starting in 2018, Weaponize was more of a traditional hardcore band which in Northern NJ and NYC is HUGE. Having everything from the tough guy graffiti font to the shows they were playing was more along the lines of bands like Madball and Terror. But as of recently the band made a shift and switched they’re style to what they were more influenced by which was the metalcore genre. Only having 2 singles out from 2020 and 2021, the band is back and better than ever with their new single “Egokill”
Egokill is a metalcore smash and is a giant leap forward from their 20/21 releases. A night and day difference between quality, songwriting and overall vibe of the band in general. As soon as I heard the first 30 seconds I couldn’t help but to smile and rewind. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting but I was hooked and needed to start from the beginning. There is a really sick guitar loop that plays in the intro during the build up that caught my ear immediately. As they dropped into the song full force, the guitar riff has a slight pause with a squeal that I was not expecting. That was about the point I rewound and started over, But from there the song doesn’t die, only gets better. The very next transition unlocks core memories with the fast paced guitar and drum section that sounds like organized chaos. From fast to fat, the riffs get chunky real quick. As a musician you know you got something good if you can make people automatically bop their head at the same part at the same time with no direction, and this song is full of moments like that. Weaponize throughout the song takes chances and nail them with different guitar effects, tempo changes and creating something that sounds cohesive while still being fresh.
Listening to the old music they have out and then listening to Egokill is like listening to a completely new band. The strides in writing, skill and talent have skyrocketed. I believe this is the song that is going to gather a lot of attention for them and place them at the top of the NJ scene. I was personally able to see them live in 2022 and they do in fact rip live. The transition from Hardcore to Metalcore was a very smart choice for this band as this song sounds way more passionate and daring rather than trying to fit the mold of what the genre expects of you. Egokill is the first release of the new identity of this band and I can not wait to see what else they have up their sleeve. They are now a huge name to watch in the Tri-State scene.