Release date: June 20th, 2025

With The Dystopian Chronicles, Vol. 3, Warhog takes an ambitious leap into territories where metal meets science fiction, sonic experimentation, and dystopian storytelling. This third volume works as a brief yet nuanced conceptual suite, where heavy riffs coexist with synthesised atmospheres, versatile vocal lines, and sonic nods to the digital era of the ’90s.

Review

Unleashed The Beast: Mysterious synths, loaded with futuristic textures, open the first bars, supported by a tribal percussive base heavy on tom sounds; a riff built on high notes, spiralling with a ’90s vibe, ignites the fire. Between a rhythmic pattern of low tunings and palm-muted lines, Erick’s voice arrives—very similar to Blaze Bayley’s—with clean mid-to-low tones, excellent execution, and wide timbral oscillations. Great guitar work with a flanger effect in the final section, cutting through the speakers like a sonic missile from left to right and back—an awesome moment to close this song!

Future Shock: Now the bass lines come through clearly, sounding deep and in tune with sci-fi oriented synths. The rhythmic structure, at medium speed with well-controlled snare and kick drums, carries a very spacey aura—almost like a vintage video game (X-COM UFO DEFENSE?). There is a vocal interplay of two voices, a human voice layered with a robotic or alien one, between sustained chords and a speeding-up chorus. The drum-bass foundation focuses on more prominent sounds, molding its figures with synthesised tones. The final section is striking for its acceleration and twin solos executed with speed and skill.

Hollow: Clean guitars with notes and brief strums serve as an introduction to emphasise the slightly distorted bass. The percussion is calm, with war-inspired rhythms, increasing the pace in the second section with distorted chords. This is the longest track on the EP, and although it doesn’t have an intricate complexity, it aims to progress through several passages, avoiding monotony at all costs, with sections close to blues, syncopated jazz-like rhythms, and even introducing ethereal passages—resulting in a blend that recalls Iced Earth ballads or legendary space rock bands like Hawkwind.

Stewards of a Broken World: A song with strong bass presence, starting with dizzying lines and a guitar framework in an epic tone. Excellent song development with alternating galloping structures and high-note riffs, allowing the lyrical phrasing to develop amid well-executed power chords. The drums, following a martial rhythm, lead the metallic cavalry with tight fills and rolls, as well as convincing cymbal work. In the final stretch, the band delivers machine-gun-like bursts in a Groove Stoner metal style, capped by a memorable exit solo with sustained notes accompanying the final lyrical phrasing.

signal_pulse27103_28_057_undefined_anomaly: As the title suggests, a 17-second anomaly—white noise or perhaps contact with some space civilization—closes this brief but powerful musical work.

Conclusion

The Dystopian Chronicles, Vol. 3 is not only a solid entry in Warhog’s catalog but also a small statement of intent: bold in its stylistic fusions, technical without sacrificing emotion, and open to exploring beyond traditional metal without losing its edge. From the controlled aggression of “Unleashed The Beast” to the final anomaly “signal_pulse27103…,” this EP strikes a balance between heaviness, atmosphere, and experimentation, positioning the band as a project to watch within the progressive and thematic margins of modern metal.

TheNwothm Score: 8.5/10

Links

Bandcamp:https://warhog.bandcamp.com/album/the-dystopian-chronicles-vol-3

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/warhogdfw

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/warhogdfw/

Label:Independent