| Serving as a visceral centerpiece to the band’s rapidly unfolding Blue Rising era, “Holy Wars” fuses the colossal, cinematic riffing the band is known for with an urgent, unapologetic message. The track takes direct aim at those who use ideology and dogma to justify destruction, warning that “Holy wars won’t make you whole / Holy wars won’t save your soul.” For frontman Austin Frink, the song is a necessary reaction to a world increasingly fractured by fanaticism. “We see extremism repeatedly as a political failing; but it is a spiritual sickness,” says Frink. “‘Holy Wars’ is about the people who are willing to burn the world down and call it salvation. It’s about confronting the monsters who use their faith or their faction to justify atrocities. You cannot heal your own brokenness by destroying everything around you.” Musically, “Holy Wars” is a towering achievement of modern heavy rock architecture. It channels the aggressive, wide-dynamic-range progressive that is signature to the band. Building heavily on the world-class sonic foundation established with three-time Grammy-winning producer David Bottrill (Tool, Godsmack, Mastodon, Muse, Rush) on their previous records, the band’s self-produced new material finds them operating at the absolute peak of their technical and dynamic prowess. Backed by recent acclaim from Classic Rock Magazine, Metal Hammer, and SPIN, Bastion Rose is translating immense digital leverage into a formidable global footprint ahead of an anticipated 2026 international touring cycle. |
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That sounds like a really powerful response to what’s happening right now. It's great to see bands tackling complex issues with such direct musical statements.