All That Remains have no choice but to be honest. Ever since their formation in 1998, they’ve stayed true to themselves with each successive record. There’s no pretense. There’s no posturing. There’s no pandering. Their seventh full-length effort, A War You Cannot Win [Razor & Tie], is no exception. The Massachusetts quintet—Philip Labonte [vocals], Oli Herbert [guitar], Mike Martin [guitar], Jeanne Sagan [bass], and Jason Costa [drums]—unabashedly unleash tight and taut heavy metal with arena-size hooks. Defying preconceived notions, the music is as genuine as it gets, and All That Remains wouldn’t have it any other way.

Going into A War You Cannot Win, the group didn’t tinker with their process much. Beginning in early 2011, they commenced writing in a Massachusetts practice space together between touring for their last offering, For We Are Many. Coming off the road, the musicians hit the studio with longtime producer Adam D [The Devil Wears...