The Cleanest War is the debut extended play by American metallic hardcore band Morning Again. It was released on May 15, 1996, by American record label Conquer the World Records, initially on compact disc, and subsequently on 12" vinyl and digitally. The release was recorded with vocalist Damien Moyal, guitarists John Wylie and Michael Wolz, bass guitarist Eric Ervin and drummer Louie Long. In promotion of the release, the band toured the United States and Canada during the summer of 1996, playing with such bands as Hot Water Music, Bane, Elliott, 108, Inquisition, Rye Coalition and Fury of Five. Moyal and Ervin were fired from the band shortly after returning home from the tour. The material recorded for The Cleanest War was the basis of several Morning Again compilation albums over the years, including Hand of Hope for Good Life Recordings, Hand of the Martyr for Eulogy Recordings and Alveran Records, and I for Demons Run Amok Entertainment. Background Composition and recording Morning Again was formed in November 1995, by guitarist and principle songwriter John Wylie and drummer Louie Long. The pair had previously played together in the metallic hardcore bands Culture and Organized Pain. After practicing with vocalist César Morales for about a month, they recruited new vocalist Damien Moyal, who had also previously played in Culture with Wylie, and Reach (another metallic hardcore band) with Long, and was then a member of the melodic metalcore band Shai Hulud. Although Moyal and Wylie had suffered conflicts of interest in Culture nine months prior (which had led to Moyal's departure shortly before a tour and hasty replacement by Long), the two hoped to reconcile their differences, which in turn inspired the lyrics to Moyal's first Morning Again song, "Turning Over". In December 1995, the band was completed with the addition of second guitarist Michael Wolz (formerly of Uplipht and After All) and bass guitarist Eric Ervin (formerly of Discount). In late January 1996, the band entered Studio 13 in Deerfield Beach, Florida to record five songs ("Turning Over", "Family Ties", "America On Line", "Minus One" and "Remedy") with recording engineer and producer Jeremy Staska. Moyal and Wylie had previously recorded at the studio several times with Culture, while Long had recorded there with his other band Donut Run. The lyrics to "Family Ties" talk about a teenager having to choose between a bigoted family or everything else in which he