Wraiths have an immense sound that mixes up hardcore and
metal-tinged sludge - not sure what that is like? Put your head
in a vice and squeeze until your brains start to dribble out of
your ears and then headbang as best you can manage.
Released on Witch Hunter Records - a label that seems determined
to damage my hearing - this is distorted, loud and heavy with an
overall feel of claustrophobic aggression.
The production is immense, bringing a clarity that makes everything
sound like it is being played in front of you - any band that is trying
to get the ultimate guitar sound - listen to this on how to
recreate sonic destruction.
The demented, growled vocals are very high in the mix - normally
this would put me off but it really works in this instance, bringing
the rawness up another level. Sometimes this genre can seem to
have a lot of generic bands that use the same template but Wraiths
have put their passion on the line and have come up with something
brutal but honest.
Band Blurb:
WHR025 Wraiths
Wraiths EP
1. Pyramid Head 02:52
2. Church Burner 03:32
3. Hell Ride 04:15
4. Black Vultures 04:22
5. Monolith 07:27
Rae Robinson - Vocals
Dan William - Guitars
Daniel Charlton - Guitars/Keys
Dale Husband - Bass Guitar
Richard Baker - Drums
With a crushing heaviness that feels more like a personal act of God going off in your face when you press play than merely listening to a record, it's an understatement to say that Wraiths bring the mosh. Hailing from the North East of the UK, Wraiths have committed five tracks of downbeat, downtempo and downtuned pit-bait to tape, a 20 minute pummelling of truly mammoth proportion. Recorded, mixed and mastered by Richard Doney at Landscape Studios, Cleveland, this EP is a primal force of nature, mixing up the fast with the slow and the slower still, each palm mute hitting like a hammer, every self-loathing scream clawing at your soul. And when the mosh drops 20 seconds in to opening track 'Pyramid Head', you'll not resist the urge to regress, tear off your shirt and pound the ground.
Recorded, mixed and mastered by Richard Doney at Landscape Studios, Cleveland. Artwork & layout by Ben Aucott. Limited to 50 copies on cassette, and pay-what-you-want on Bandcamp.
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