Age of Man

Age of Man is the first track from Greta Van Fleet's debut studio album, Anthem of the Peaceful Army.

Background
According to Jack Goff Weens, the song came about during a break in the Christmas of 2017 in Chattanooga, and it started as a riff and arrangement that just grew from there. Later that week, when they were surrounded by hikes and nature, and acoustic instruments in a cabin in the woods they started working on it again. The lyrics came in after its "epic openning" and the way the song went along and after recording it, the band members decided it has to be the opening track of the album.

The song contains the line "...wonderlands of ice and snow", a similar quote of "Immigrant Song", by Led Zeppelin. When asked if it was intentional Josh stated, “In some ways it was a bit of a wink, [...] In some ways that acts as a middle finger, too".

About the song
The track starts off quiet and slow as it grows subtly into a mid-tempo rocker, including crunching guitars, and grooving drums.

Release
The day before the album came out, the band setup an online website called "White Rose March" that allowed users to listen to the song if they walked to a nearby local park and opened the link of the site on their iOS and Android devices phone. The band twitted:

"'We hope your ears are delighted by the introduction to our album, ‘Age of Man,’ when you embark on the White Rose March. Appreciate the nature and experience an unreleased Greta Van Fleet song.'"

On Facebook the band said:

"'We have a new song to share with you, and would like you to experience it in nature. If you share your location, we'll help you find the nearest park to listen'."

Critical Reception
The song, in particular, was mostly widely praised. The Spectrum stated "Album opener “Age of Man” puts forth a hypnotic, smooth orchestration. The track allows singer Josh Kiszka room to flaunt powerful vocals, only to welcome brother Jake with a heavy riff. It’s a simple chord progression that pushes outward, sounding thicker and bigger with each listen." Sonic Perspectives praised the song's instrumental progression, saying "Opener “Age of Man” is in the epic category, a slow burner that holds promise that the band is maturing into deeper directions than some of their shorter songs suggest. The glorious closing progression of the song is truly anthemic, drenched in keyboards and vocal cries. It would be a choice way to close the album, but its positioning as the lead-off track somewhat lessens its impact. Still, “Age of Man” remains one of the best new songs offered here." The Daily Cardinal stated The first track “Age of Man” is a nice, subtly futuristic-sounding orchestral piece that complements Josh Kiszka’s voice well (if one can look past the fact that he seems to have borrowed it from someone else). The synth-like string instruments give the song a dreamy, ethereal vibe and provide a nice introduction to the album. I enjoyed the subtle guitar melody as it became prominent and built up to a climax alongside the vocals." Musical blog Idolator said "GVF kick things off with “Age of Man,” a gritty ditty showcasing Joshua Kiszka’s soaring range and Jacob Kiszka’s sonic exploration. As with their previously releases, the lyrics hint at mythology and downright-epic imagery. The production is rougher around the edges this time round. They aren’t polishing every progression, they are confidently capturing a raw, palpable idea that they have spent years perfecting." Also, The Ball State Daily News said "the opener ‘Age of Man’ proves what this band could be if they put more of themselves into their music. The vocals on this cut are stellar, the melody gets stuck in my head in the best way possible, and the atmospheric strings are a perfect match with the instrumental."