RAW WAR
Raw War were a crustcore band that existed between 2009 and 2013, having started in Victoria BC, and influenced by UK D-beat and anarcho-punk bands like Doom and Discharge as well as by Scandinavian crust bands like Anticimex and Totalitär. The band immediately distinguished itself in the region for their off the rails nuclear crust assault, the apocalyptic vibe of their songs, and the raw intensity of their bulldozing live performances. This reputation as a primal and lawless force in the Pacific Northwest punk scene was further cemented by the release of their 2010 debut 7" titled "Population Control", which lead to more shows, tours, debauchery and opening slots for bands like Oi Polloi and Doom, all of which in turn began to stir up even more attention around the band, generating considerable label interest. On the heels of label agreements and continued interest from the punk scene, Raw War decided to enter the studio and record a full length album, immediately following those recording sessions with further recordings, this time in the form of a planned second 7" tentatively titled "Raw Terror". However, neither of these two releases ever surfaced. Frustrated by the departure of then bassist Justin and by the inability to maintain a solid bassist slot (bassists Brandon and Alan had already preceded him), the founding unit of guitarist Cordie, drummer Bryce and vocalist Dylan opted instead to continue as a trio and changed the band's name to Kaiten, relocating it to Vancouver BC in the process. This change generated hesitation from labels, and threw the two recently recorded and still unfinished Raw War releases into a limbo, that would last for ten long years. Ten years that were declared over when Sentient Ruin stepped in to have the entire unreleased recorded output mastered and released on vinyl/digital as the posthumous “Total Raw War” 12” (containing both the untitled debut full-length album and the “Raw Terror” 7” tracks) to give proper homage, peace, and resting place to one of the most decimating and unforgiving hardcore crust entities to ever desecrate Northwestern soil. Long live the TOTAL. RAW. WAR.