Metawar
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Metawar
| type = studio
| artist = 3Teeth
| cover = Cover art for the 3teeth album Metawar.png
| alt =
| released = July 5, 2019
| recorded =
| studio =
| genre =
| length = 46:50
| label = Century Media
| producer = Sean Beavan
| prev_year = 2017
| next_title = EndEx
| next_year = 2023
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Metawar
| type = studio
| single1 = American Landfill
| single1date = April 5, 2019
| single2 = Exxxit
| single2date = April 23, 2019
| single3 = Affluenza
| single3date = May 31, 2019
| single4 = President X
| single4date = June 14, 2019
| single5 = Pumped Up Kicks
| single5date = June 28, 2019
| single6 = Altær
| single6date = January 17, 2020
}}
}}
Metawar is the third studio album by the American industrial metal band 3Teeth. It was released on July 5, 2019 as the band's first album on their new label, Century Media Records.
Release and promotion
Initial work on the album began in early 2018{{cite web|url=http://www.metal-temple.com/site/news/view/general_news/3teeth-s-lex-mincolla.htm?filter=1,8,9,10,personal|title=Metal-Temple.com :: 3Teeth's Lex Mincolla: "If you want music, just fucking support it...'cause it's dying out there, like a fucking wilted leaf. There's no place to make money off this anymore." (News)|first=Metal|last=Temple|website=www.metal-temple.com}} following extensive touring in support of
The first single, "American Landfill", was released worldwide on April 5, 2019, alongside the official announcement of the July 5 global release date.{{cite web|first=Kelsey|last=Chapstick|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/hear-3teeth-unleash-slow-crushing-industrial-rage-new-song-american-landfill|title=Hear 3Teeth Unleash Slow-Crushing Industrial Rage on New Song "American Landfill"|work=Revolver|date=April 5, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Joe|last=DiVita|url=https://loudwire.com/3teeth-metawar-american-landfill/|title=3Teeth Announce New Album 'Metawar,' Release Caustic First Single|work=Loudwire|date=April 5, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|url=https://metalinjection.net/new-music/3teeth-announces-metawar-with-new-song-american-landfill|title=3Teeth Announces Metawar With New Song "American Landfill"|work=Metal Injection|date=April 6, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}} Alongside the new album announcement, the band also announced a summer tour in support of Ministry. Frontman Mincolla described the new album as focusing on the idea of world versus world. According to Mincolla, "If our debut album was focused on man vs. the world, and our sophomore album was man vs. himself, then I really wanted to Metawar to focus on the idea of world vs world, and the notion that if man doesn’t create his own world then he’s often crushed by the world of another."
The music video for "American Landfill" debuted on April 15, 2019.{{cite web|first=Spencer|last=Kaufman|url=https://consequence.net/2019/04/3teeth-american-landfill-video/|title=Industrial act 3Teeth unveil "American Landfill" video: Watch|work=Consequence|date=April 15, 2019|access-date=April 15, 2019}}{{cite web|first=Kelsey|last=Chapstick|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-3teeth-enter-neon-noir-post-apocalyptic-nightmare-american-landfill-video|title=See 3Teeth Enter Neon-Noir, Post-Apocalyptic Nightmare in "American Landfill" Video|work=Revolver|date=April 15, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}} The video was directed by Matthew Charles Santoro, longtime friend of Alexis Mincolla and Hollywood director and visual effects artist whose credits include X-Men Origins: Wolverine and 300. "Exxxit" was released as the second single with an accompanying music video on April 23.{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|url=https://metalinjection.net/video/3teeth-drops-fairly-nsfw-video-for-new-song-exxxit|title=3Teeth Drops Fairly NSFW Video For New Song "Exxxit"|work=Metal Injection|date=April 23, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Luke|last=Winkie|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/3teeth-debut-disturbing-nsfw-exxxit-video-featuring-sm-suspension|title=3Teeth Debut Disturbing, NSFW "Exit" Video Featuring S&M Suspension|work=Revolver|date=April 23, 2019|access-date=April 23, 2019}} "The song hinges on a conceptual ultimatum and the human urge towards self-destruction as a form of liberation," Mincolla said. The video, which features performance artist Jeanelle Mastema suspended from hooks, was described as "gruesome" and "NSFW" and was inspired by concepts featured in Albert O. Hirschman's 1970 treatise Exit, Voice, and Loyalty.{{cite web|first=Cat|last=Jones|url=https://www.kerrang.com/features/3teeth-on-politics-sex-and-liberation-through-self-destruction/|title=3Teeth On Politics, Sex, and Liberation Through Self-Destruction|work=Kerrang!|date=April 23, 2019|access-date=April 23, 2019}} "Exxxit" premiered alongside a North American tour announcement featuring Author & Punisher and GOST as support.
The third single supporting the album, Affluenza, was released on May 31, 2019.{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|url=https://metalinjection.net/av/new-music/3teeth-warns-of-kim-kardashians-ass-in-new-song-affluenza|title=3Teeth Warns Of Kim Kardashian's Ass In New Song "Affluenza"|work=Metal Injection|date=May 31, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://www.theprp.com/2019/05/31/news/3teeth-premiere-affluenza-music-video/|title=3Teeth Premiere "Affluenza" Music Video|work=The PRP|date=May 31, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}} Mincolla describes Affluenza as being "the all-consuming epidemic of our time. It's a socially transmitted disease that infects via the prosthetic digital nervous system when exposed to the conspicuous consumption based infotoxins emitted from Kim Kardashian's ass." An official lyric music video was released for the single as well. The fourth single promoting the album, President X, was released on June 14, 2019.{{cite web|first=Cat|last=Jones|url=https://www.kerrang.com/the-news/3teeth-endorse-president-x-in-their-latest-video/|title=3Teeth Endorse President X In Their Latest Video|work=Kerrang!|date=June 14, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2019}}{{cite web|first=Luke|last=Winkie|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/see-lizard-people-take-over-3teeths-wild-new-president-x-video|title=See Lizard People Take Over in 3Teeth's Wild New "President X" Video|work=Revolver|date=June 14, 2019|access-date=June 14, 2019}} The single was accompanied by a music video featuring Mincolla as a neo-fascist lizard-man president in "band's most outwardly political song to date."
The fifth single released was the band's cover of "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People which was released on June 28, 2019.{{cite web|first=Chad|last=Childers|url=https://loudwire.com/3teeth-gun-commentary-pumped-up-kicks-video/|title=3Teeth Make Gun Commentary With 'Pumped Up Kicks' Video|work=Loudwire|date=June 28, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|url=https://metalinjection.net/video/3teeths-cover-of-pumped-up-kicks-is-a-slowed-down-industrial-crusher|title=3Teeth's Cover Of "Pumped Up Kicks" Is A Slowed Down Industrial Crusher|work=Metal Injection|date=July 1, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023}} A fifth music video was released alongside the single as well. On why the band decided to do a cover song, Mincolla said "Industrial bands have a long history of subverting popular culture songs...We’ve just always been a fan of this sort of thing and felt it would be a good time to take an iconic song of the late 2000s and give it some unexpected 2019 industrial darkness." On January 17, 2020, Altær was released as the album's sixth single along with a music video.{{cite web|first=Scott|last=Munro|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/3teeth-travel-into-the-post-apocalyptic-wasteland-in-altaer-video|title=3Teeth travel into the post-apocalyptic wasteland in Altær video|work=Metal Hammer|date=January 17, 2020|access-date=January 17, 2020}}{{cite web|first=Greg|last=Kennelty|url=https://metalinjection.net/video/3teeths-music-video-for-altaer-was-heavily-inspired-by-mad-max|title=3Teeth's Music Video For "Altær" Was Heavily Inspired By Mad Max|work=Metal Injection|date=January 19, 2020|access-date=April 7, 2023}}
While touring in support of Metawar, the band recorded one original track and two cover songs for the film Guns Akimbo. Their cover of You Spin Me Round (Like a Record) by Dead or Alive was featured in the film's trailer, and it was later announced that the second cover song would be The Ballroom Blitz originally recorded by The Sweet.{{cite web|url=https://www.revolvermag.com/music/3teeth-see-unearthed-guns-akimbo-video-you-spin-me-round-cover|title=3Teeth: See Unearthed 'Guns Akimbo' Video for "You Spin Me Round" Cover|work=Revolver|date=July 16, 2021|access-date=April 7, 2023}}{{cite web|url=https://bravewords.com/news/3teeth-releases-guns-akimbo-album-featuring-covers-of-ballroom-blitz-and-you-spin-me-round-like-a-record|title=3Teeth Releases Guns Akimbo Album Featuring Covers Of "Ballroom Blitz" And "You Spin Me Round (Like A Record)"|work=Brave Words|date=August 24, 2020|access-date=April 7, 2023}}
Composition
Metawar has been described as industrial metal{{cite web|author=Simon K.|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/79786/3TEETH-Metawar/|title=Review: 3Teeth - Metawar|date=July 5, 2019|work=Sputnikmusic|access-date=July 9, 2019}}{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Podoshen|url=https://www.metalinsider.net/reviews/3teeth-give-industrial-metal-a-much-needed-shot-in-the-arm-with-metawar|title=3Teeth give industrial metal a much needed shot in the arm with 'Metawar'|work=Metal Insider|date=June 28, 2019|access-date=July 10, 2019}} industrial rock,{{cite web|first=Dayv|last=Oblyvyon|url=https://puregrainaudio.com/reviews/3teeth-metawar-album-review|title=3Teeth - "Metawar" (Album Review)|work=Pure Grain Audio|date=July 3, 2019|access-date=April 7, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190708104514/https://puregrainaudio.com/reviews/3teeth-metawar-album-review|archive-date=July 8, 2019|url-status=dead}} industrial,{{cite web|first=Chris|last=Payne|url=http://exclaim.ca/music/article/3teeth-metawar|title=3Teeth Metawar|work=Exclaim!|date=July 4, 2019|access-date=July 9, 2019}} nu metal, alternative metal, and electronic rock.{{cite web|first=Mike|last=DeWald|url=http://www.riffmagazine.com/album-reviews/3teeth-metawar/|title=Review: 3Teeth paint a dystopian, punishing portrait with 'Metawar'|work=Riff Magazine|date=July 3, 2019|access-date=July 10, 2019}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = AllMusic
| rev1Score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web|first=Neil Z.|last=Yeung|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/metawar-mw0003275918|title=Metawar by 3Teeth|work=AllMusic|access-date=July 9, 2019}}
| rev2 = Bring the Noise
| rev3 = Exclaim!
| rev4 = Maximum Volume
| rev5 = Kerrang!
| rev5Score = 1/5{{cite journal|title=3Teeth: Metawar|date=July 8, 2019|journal=Kerrang!|page=55}}
| rev6 = Noizze
| rev7 = Sputnikmusic
| rev7Score = {{Rating|3.2|5}}
| rev8 = Shropshire Star
}}
Metawar received generally positive reviews from critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has an average score of 61 out of 100, which indicates "Generally favorable reviews" based on 4 reviews. Loudwire named it one of the 50 best metal albums of 2019.{{cite web|url=https://loudwire.com/best-metal-albums-2019/|title=The 50 Best Metal Albums of 2019|work=Loudwire|date=December 3, 2019|access-date=March 7, 2021}}
Charts
Following its release, Metawar became the band's most commercially successful album, debuting at #23 on Billboard{{Cite web|url=http://www.rescuerooms.com/gig-guide/2588/3teeth|title=3Teeth live at Rescue Rooms|website=www.rescuerooms.com|access-date=2020-02-25}} and at #28 on the iTunes Top Albums chart{{cite web|url=http://www.itunescharts.net/us/artists/music/3teeth/albums/metawar/|title=iTunesCharts.net: 'Metawar' by 3Teeth (American Albums iTunes Chart)|website=www.itunescharts.net}} as well as the #1 album on the iTunes Metal charts.{{cite web|url=https://scontent.ftpa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/66457211_1393337140791103_7529294295153508352_n.jpg?_nc_cat=104&_nc_eui2=AeGclkX6hTpiQDz_Huhwd2PAHCr3TDwufR6rKPTfuPwbLOrWh_JYgIIliVCJfYXJG_ad-lT18XSOrWdCRkhLY8G0B5TN9iHNoCPoZXrjgb5Xrg&_nc_oc=AQn-ChFtG4fFoPJnqynTvWFkOIIM8BlIRVTwALrhKEUCTuUKmYg-iMPrFL8DlP6G0H4&_nc_ht=scontent.ftpa1-2.fna&oh=f3ce3632f87010c851e7c2d4698cfdbb&oe=5DAFDED3|title=Photo|website=scontent.ftpa1-2.fna.fbcdn.net|format=JPG|access-date=2019-07-19}} The album also debuted at #82 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart for the week of July 20, 2019, and at #3 on Billboard's Heatseekers Albums for the same week.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/3teeth|title=3teeth Chart History|magazine=Billboard}} With the release of Metawar, 3teeth themselves charted at #25 on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart.{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/3teeth|title=3teeth | Billboard|magazine=Billboard |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227052339/https://www.billboard.com/music/3teeth|archive-date=2018-12-27|access-date=2018-12-26}}
Track listing
{{track listing
| headline =
| title1 = Hyperstition
| length1 = 1:01
| title2 = Affluenza
| length2 = 3:38
| title3 = Exxxit
| length3 = 3:33
| title4 = American Landfill
| length4 = 3:08
| title5 = President X
| length5 = 3:41
| title6 = Altær
| length6 = 4:07
| title7 = Time Slave
| length7 = 3:27
| title8 = Bornless
| length8 = 3:27
| title9 = Surrender
| length9 = 4:05
| title10 = Sell Your Face 2.0
| length10 = 3:49
| title11 = Blackout
| length11 = 3:49
| title12 = The Fall
| length12 = 4:33
| title13 = Pumped Up Kicks
| note13 = Foster the People cover
| writer13 = Mark Foster
| length13 = 4:32
| total_length = 46:50
}}
Notes
- All tracks are stylized in all caps.
Personnel
3Teeth
- Alexis Mincolla – vocals, lyrics
- Chase Brawner – guitars
- Xavier Swafford – keyboards, synthesizers
- Andrew Means – bass, modular synthesizers
- Justin Hanson – drums
Production
- Sean Beavan – programming, engineering, and mixing
- Juliette Beaven – additional vocals
- Howie Weinberg – mastering
- Mike Glitter – A&R
- Don Robertson – A&R
Visual personnel
- Alexis Mincolla – art direction
- Marcel Lagerquist – graphic design
- Mihail Aleksandrovich – 3D modeling
- Sqeuoia Emmanuelle – photography