- Mon, 2010-08-02 17:48
Taking on old school thrash and twisting it into a darker, even more sinister beast, Wretched are hurling themselves forward into the new world of metal, intent on ripping apart stereotypes as they go.
A very recent addition to Victory Records, (one of America’s leading independent rock labels, home to bands including Bury Your Dead, Catch 22, Funeral For A Friend and Ringworm), Wretched began life as a jam band in 2005. Five years and countless demos later, the North Carolina five piece follow their 2009 Victory Records debut, The Exodus of Autonomy- a collection of epic death metal masterpieces, with their new album Beyond The Gate.
Be warned. Wretched are not your normal thrash band. Though we’re sure they have their fair share of tour based mentality, they also put a great deal into their craft, having actively developed and progressed their knowledge of music theory and composition over the last few years. This has allowed their grand metal constructions to build toward the future, rather than rely too greatly upon formulas of the past. Strict weekly rehearsals alongside rigorous individual practice routines have ensured Beyond The Gate is no rushed follow-up, instead we’re presented with an even heavier slurry of death metal.
Guitarist Steven Funderburk comments; “We always make sure our songs and music are structured very well and are carefully thought out, we put feeling and soul into our music, and we write it to the best of our ability.”
Submersing themselves in a genre not known for its subtleties, picking apart the intricacies of Beyond The Gate is easily clouded by the full on charge of death metal. Such a recognised charge ensures appreciation within wider audiences, while serious fans of the genre will find elaborate compositions, moving solos and original riffs welded into the framework of the album. Guitarist John Vail put his hard work to practice, composing the orchestral accompaniment for On The Horizon, while the bands appreciation of music beyond death metal shine through with the inclusion of Cuban folk closing opening track Birthing Sloth.
