Waging War kicks off with the up tempos Just a Thought and You With Us II. Both set the tone for what’s to come: an album where Art Of War’s passion shines through on each track. Burna, who produced all of Waging War, uses a sample only once on the album, on Can’t Hold Me Back which sees the crew reflecting about “back in the day.” As evidenced on The First Chapter, Art Of War is clearly at its best when doing introspective and reflective tracks. Confirming that is Real Love, another standout where the crew delves deep into one another’s friendships. It’s a revealing look into the crew’s lives.

Don’t think Waging War won’t bang in the ride though; Burna’s production will have your speakers doing some major work. Take the title track, which has the crew at their aggressive best, for instance. Chris L spits:

“Muthafukas are constantly on my back, like Chris do this and Chris do that
And Chris can you shout out my little brother on the track
In actual fact…FUCK NO!!!”

The album isn’t without some misdirection though. An attempt at a radio hit, Make It Dip, results in a very average sounding track with an extremely redundant chorus. But what album isn’t without a little misstep? The crew can be forgiven for this track because just a little more than 5 minutes later, the listeners are treated with Time’s Big Business. Opening with an alarm clock, the track features the crew rapping over an almost snap type beat. It’s a great finale to the album, which displays Art Of War’s ability to rock any type of beat.

The Melbourne trio of Minas, Burna & Chris L unite to deliver an album of epic stature which strays away from the typical Australian release by providing an international sound but also keeping it truly local. Best Aussie hip-hop album of the year? For me yes, it’s been a bit of a wait since their debut album but listening to Waging War makes up for it.

Standouts: Can’t Hold Me Back, Real Love, Waging War