WRAITH have dived back into the ferocious, blackened thrash metal fray with Descent Into Darkness (not to be confused with DARK ANGEL's thrash classic Darkness Descends), out November 13 via Prosthetic Records. This group of relentless metal marauders from, of all places, Indiana has amassed a loyal fanbase off the back of fiery live shows and a raw energy that stays in close contact with their old-school thrash metal ethos. With this being their fifth full-length record, what remains for them to accomplish in the world of thrash?
The answer, thankfully, is that the band don't give the impression they are trying to reinvent the wheel; they simply refine and intensify what has so clearly worked for them. Vocalist and guitarist Matt Sokol, a history teacher by day, pulled grim themes from World War I, with understandably fitting results. Of "Over The Top," he said when the single came out: "It's my interpretation of what it would be like to go 'Over The Top,' which is the military expression for entering the battlefield from the trenches." Tracks like "Over The Top" and "Final Warning" are virtual commands to either enter the chaotic pit at a live show or start one in the grocery store checkout line if you're hearing these crushing riffs through headphones.
A good thrash song is ideally like a brutal knife fight, short and to the point. WRAITH do an excellent job of keeping each track punchy and energetic without overstaying their welcome. The longest track on the album, closer "Back In The Trenches," clocks in at 4 minutes and 42 seconds. It is a high-octane record to blow through speed traps on the highway with. There is no real respite on the album, with the possible exception of sections of "No Man's Land" that seem a little out of step with the rest of the record.
All in all, this is a stellar record. I expect to play it an awful lot through the end of this calendar year, and I cannot wait to stock up on Advil for the next time they come through on tour with this material. I am past the typical US draft age at this point, but when these talented shredders roll through, I will volunteer as the sacrificial lamb, first out of the foxhole.
Tl;dr: Heshers unite.
★★★★½ 9/10
WRAITH - Over The Top (official visualizer):
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Promo provided by Earsplit PR and Prosthetic Records.