Bad Solution - The War Within (2017)

A couple of years ago MV reviewed a debut four track EP from a British/Polish collective from Surrey, and Bad Solution’s first foray was pretty impressive. Now, they are back with their first full length – it includes a few that were on the EP – and they have lived up to the potential they showed back then.

“The War Within” is one of those records where the message can get lost in the bluster, but it begins in the manner it means to go on: “Someone save me from myself” offers singer Alex Willox in its opening line, “I’m too messed up to ask for help.”

And with that, the battle lines are drawn.

Most definitely not a record you are going to find filed in the Easy Listening section, the influences are obvious – FFDP or Shinedown if Shinedown had any balls – but oddly they aren’t the important thing here.

Rather what’s cruical is the way they construct these songs, “Nothing (You Don’t Know Me)” recalls Brit underground rockers Beholder, but when the lyrics suggest “I nearly killed myself at 17” then you are taken aback – and taken to some dark places.

Likewise “Demon In My Bed” builds itself on some early AIC riffery, but by the time it hits it’s hook you are left feeling that the cathartic element here was the most important thing. “Self Destruct” takes a left turn and kicks off with some piano and orchestral work – and ostensibly knocks anything Alter Bridge have done into a cocked hat – but for all its stadium bothering dreams, it is still a song about alcoholism ruining a marriage. But, my it is brilliant and the absolute standout here.

Whatever it does, though, “The War Within” does it well. “Echoes Of The Cry” is – for this record at least – stripped down and gentle initially, but then it sweeps in on a wall of sound.

“The Last Lie” (sample line: “fuck off you whore”) doesn’t do subtle, but like everything else here is more accessible than most modern metal. There are, for example, no kids in skinny jeans screaming at you here.

“Desert Rock” with its Eastern tones, offers a touch of light relief and works as a fists in the air catchy chorus, “Dear Sarah” was wonderful on the EP and is likewise here, a searingly honest and heartbreaking story of the murder of a young child it perhaps holds the key to why there was a war within in the first place. Whatever, it is a masterclass as to what modern metal should sound like. “FOD” is rather more simplistic, and is like being threatened with a broken bottle – if a lot more fun.

As it ends with “White Washed” and offers the thought that “your evil ways have white washed me, got me down on my fucking knees,” it is clear that for Bad Solution there is not a lot of light at the end of any tunnels. But they have set their pain to a collection of modern hard rock songs that is rather more classy than the norm.

And that rather is the point, you can, if such a thing is your bag, ignore the lyrics and get in the moshpit. But if you look beyond the sonic bluster – fine though it is – “The War Within” offers so much more.

Alex Willox - Lead Vocals
Trix - GuitDrumsar and Backing vocals
Mariusz Chojnowski - Guitar
Wojtek Suberlak - Bass Guitar
Joe Patterson - Drums


Track List:
01. Drowning
02. Nothing (You Don't Know Me) (LP Version)
03. Demon In My Bed
04. Self Destruct (LP Version)
05. Echoes of the Cry
06. The Last Lie
07. Desert Rock (LP Version)
08. Dear Sarah (LP Version)
09. Fod
10. Whitewashed
11. Drowning (Radio Edit)