Walls of Jericho – System Error: Humanity Album Review

Walls of Jericho are undoubtedly one of the more influential bands when it comes to blending metal and hardcore. Formed in 1998, the band made an early statement with The Bound Feed the Gagged. Their career, however, has also been marked by extended periods of inactivity. Things went relatively quiet between 2009 and 2015, before they returned with No One Can Save You from Yourself in 2016, followed by another stretch of silence. That silence is now over.

Walls of Jericho are back with their thunderous new studio album, System Error: Humanity, and things get loud once again. The band has put together 15 tracks and remains as uncompromising as ever, something that becomes clear right from the opening track, “True Til’ Death.” A massive wall of riffs comes crashing down, and then there’s Candace Buckingham. Her growls and shouts are an essential part of the band’s sound, and what she puts her vocal cords through here is impressive once again.

While most of the album is rooted in uncompromising hardcore, tracks like “The Flame” bring the band’s thrash metal influences to the forefront. Another interesting cut is “Broken Mouths Can’t Speak.” None other than Randy Blythe of Lamb of God shares vocal duties with Buckingham, and the resulting dynamic adds another layer of heaviness while highlighting the band’s connection to metal. And while we’re talking guest appearances, “Humanity” features vocals from Guy Kozowyk (The Red Chord), giving the track a slight deathcore edge without straying from the groove-driven Walls of Jericho formula.

System Error: Humanity is a brutal album that doesn’t bother with unnecessary frills. Crushing riffs, a powerful groove, and Buckingham’s furious vocals are at their best in short, intense bursts. Most tracks clock in under the three-minute mark, which is more than enough time to unleash all that accumulated anger through sheer musical force.

It’s hardly surprising that Walls of Jericho also have something to say lyrically. Take a closer look at a track like “Agency,” and it quickly becomes clear that themes such as self-determination are central to the band’s message.

Against the album’s otherwise relentless intensity, a track like “A Brighter Fire” stands out. Its atmospheric approach might seem out of place at first, but that’s exactly what makes it work. At over five minutes, it’s also an exception in terms of running time. The song takes a quieter approach, giving the listener room to settle into its more atmospheric passages. Walls of Jericho also bring the next generation into the picture, with Buckingham’s daughter Patsy Puopolo and Matthew Ruby, son of bassist Aaron Ruby, contributing to the track. Compared to the album’s furious songs, packed with heavy riffs and breakdowns, the melancholic “A Brighter Fire” feels almost fragile, with a distinctly grunge-tinged vibe. That doesn’t last long, though, as “The Reckoning” brings the familiar Walls of Jericho sledgehammer crashing through the speakers once again.

It has taken ten years for fans to finally get their hands on the band’s sixth studio album, and the wait has been worth it. System Error: Humanity marks a loud return from a band that helped shape the metalcore scene. Walls of Jericho prove that they still have what it takes to deliver music that carries weight both musically and lyrically – perhaps more so now than ever.