A War You Cannot Win

A War You Cannot Win is the sixth album, combining hard-chugging guitar, breakdown weight and big choruses carried by clean vocals. Released in November 2012, it reached No. 13 on the Billboard 200 — close to the previous album's No. 10. The intense parts create urgency, and the melody's role is to release that tension all at once. The lineup carried over unchanged, so this was a stable period for the band. Even within a hard, modern-metal sound, the hooks are clear song by song and it never coasts on momentum alone. From the opener “Down Through the Ages” to “Stand Up” — and “Stand Up” took No. 1 on US Mainstream Rock, the band's first and only chart-topping single. “What If I Was Nothing” was also widely heard and became a live staple. Through “Sing for Liberty” to the closing title track, the pacing is deft. Against the metalcore color of the earlier records, its turn toward a broader, more rock-leaning reach drew mixed reactions. A record where the band's sense of balance shows — for anyone wanting both aggression and singable melody.