GODS OF WAR is a Heavy Metal band from Liverpool, UK.  From the Facebook page, they describe themselves as an "Extreme Metal/NWOBHM band that has consistently defiled subgenre classification, as their music takes influence from many Metal subgenres, including Black, Death, Power, Thrash, and Folk, among others."

The band released a three-track demo in 2009, a five-track EP in 2011, and this new EP in 2014, which contains four new tracks.  The first song, "Angmar" opens softly and slowly, before the spirited main riff kicks in.  Musically it does remind me of early NWOBHM bands, but with harsh vocals rooted in the Black style.  It is fast paced and aggressive, like Thrash Metal, but while allowing the melody to breathe.

A firey guitar solo peppers the landscape after the second chorus, and then a slower bridge turns the song into a more sinister offering before the reprise circles back around.  "Fornost" has a similar sound and structure, though the folky sort of clean vocals do being some more variation into the fold.  The guitar solo section carries more of a folky feeling as well, as does the general bobbing rhythm of the main riff.

"Gods of Old" struts with a riff reminiscent of IRON MAIDEN marrying AMORPHIS, until a familiar interlude around the half-way mark, which is fairly common in traditional Black Metal song structures.  It offers a break to the rhythm of the earlier riffs, and I like the crunchy mid-range in the tone of the guitars.  "Operation Engage" closes the EP.  This track could be Thrash Metal but with a Hardcore vocal tinge to it.  Overall, I hear exactly what the band described as their brand of music.  It's Heavy Metal at its core, but does not conform to standard sub-genre labeling.  I don't believe there is any questioning the musicianship here either, as it is strong for an unsigned band.