Review by Quinn Donoghue – The Australian four-piece, Windwaker, pushes the boundaries of metal with theuse of explosive drums, groovy and metallic guitar riffs, and piercing high-octave vocals, they also go against the grain of traditional metal music to a degree as they infuse rap elements, experimental production, and soft, delicate compositions. Above all else, what makes Love Language a pivotal album is their exploration of the concept of love itself, ultimately inspiring each of the songs on the record. Windwaker navigates the theme of love through a wide spectrum of experiences and ideologies that touch on both the blissfulness and the pain that can be associated with love. When listening to the band’s new material, it instantly becomes clear that they have been able to bottle up a sense of synergy and togetherness that has led to highly creative songwriting, tight musicianship, and coalescent lyrical content.
Within the first chunk of songs, Windwaker, whether it be deliberate or unintentional,
emphatically makes a point that one should expect the unexpected. The first song “Beautiful” is
propelled by choppy guitar jabs and Will King’s signature high-pitched vocal performance; it
becomes apparent right away that Windwaker has a knack for jumping back and forth between
soft and heavy sections while always maintaining cohesiveness. “Lucy” stands out as my
personal favorite due to its unapologetically hardcore guitar parts, essentially guaranteeing an
onset of involuntary headbanging. Songs like “Dopamine Freestyle” shine a light on the more
experimental side of the band as they introduce bits of rapping and defined tempo changes.
Along with their expertise in the realm of heavy music, “Me + You, but Mostly Me” and “Glow”
prove that they also possess no shortage of melodic sophistication and pop sensibility. “Glow” in
particular provides an extremely hooky chorus, and the track cuts deep into the darker side of
love with lyrics such as “I was so blind, never used to be/Caught up in defense, you were
feeding my identity/Powerful intent needs no privilege, cause it’s meant to be.”
“Trenches” shifts back into a vibe that is more firmly implanted in their hardcore foundation,
incoporating death-metal screams and monstrous guitar tones. Perhaps their most daring track
on the album, “Superstitious Fantasy” contains a desert-rock guitar intro, explosive blasts of
metal, and a beguiling chorus of lush falsetto singing. The album titled “Love Language” stands
alone as the ultimate power-ballad anthem. Lines like “Tell me is it real or fake/Our love has no
fare/It’s a deathly ill runaway/Cause we know it’s not safe/The best moments all seems to fade”
perfectly paint an excruciating picture of a relationship crumbling to pieces, both lovers knowing
that despite the agony of separating, they know it’s for the best. Closing out the 12 song
package is “The Rain,” a song that depicts the feeling of liberation and finally being at peace
with moving on from a relationship. It is accompanied by upbeat instrumentation that
meticulously correlates to the invigorated lyrical and vocal performance.
Each member of Windwaker has obviously zeroed in on their respective crafts. But what’s most
admirable about the band is the innovativeness that they display on Love Language. They
honor the concept of love with integrity throughout the album, and every song is differentiated as
they subtly inject various influences and genre dabbling. Yet, there is no mistaking that the
record is entrenched in their metal upbringing.
