Can’t believe we’re doing the fascism thing again. OK, look, I do realize there has been at least low levels of fascism in the U.S. pretty much forever. But I’m talking the armband-wearing, Roman saluting kind because apparently a duo of world wars taught us fuck all. We have so many lessons already absorbed, yet here we are, fucking up again.
Wraith vocalist/guitarist Matt Sokol is a history teacher in his other life, and he knows all too intimately the road we’ve been down and can’t fathom why we—as humans, not just Americans—keep sliding into our worst tendencies despite us knowing how this all will end. It’s a major focal point for the band’s thunderous new record “Descent Into Darkness,” their fifth overall and second for Prosthetic. Sokol and the band—guitarist/vocalist Jason Schultz, bassist/vocalist Chris Petkus, drummer/vocalist Mike Szymendera—ravage with blackened thrash, feeling like a more acidic Motorhead in spots, bruising with grim fury in every spot. The rage and disgust watching the human race fall on its face matches the pace of the music, which easily can leave you bruised.
The title track trickles in before the power ramps up, charging as the howls crush, and speed becomes a greater factor. The soloing unloads, the tempo stampeding with a purpose, the chorus hammering once more before everything fades. “Final Warning” wrecks and chugs, a viciousness sinking into the center, the playing feeling driving and thrashing, leaving bruising. Guitars reset and then the force multiplies, Sokol howling, “Planet in mourning freed from life,” as the final sparks fly. “Atomic Queen” starts with a siren before the bass begins chewing muscle, and the attack mashes, a strong, catchy chorus spiking adrenaline. Dual guitars unite as the leads glisten, burning off energy, the solo ripping before a final chorus explodes. “Terminal Embrace” has guitars jolting and the playing dusting, ferocity storming overhead, the howls scarring as your will gets tested. Guitars melt as raspy calls punish, continually pushing and slamming the door in your face. “Over the Top” heats up as the bass trudges, charring and tangling as the heat gets oppressive. Throaty howls punish as thrashiness and filth unite, the playing boils more aggressively, and the band hits a thrashy groove that loosens bones.
“Misery and Malice” has guitars mangling and the vocals smothering, beastly weight bearing down, the leads carving bloody paths. The wails flex as the speed explodes with chaos, everything left in the dust as you gasp for air. “Lord of Wolves” enters amid guitars smoking, the band brawls you to the ground, and a sweeping chorus makes its presence felt. The tempo bashes as the weaponry becomes more volatile, doing damage to your psyche. “Chainscraper” grounds and pounds, the drums pace with force, and melodic leads get inside your veins and race toward your heart. The band turns down a beaten path, feeling catchy and fiery, the guitars glisten, and the elements battle even harder, ripping before churning out. “No Man’s Land” starts clean and fluid before the hammer swings, a calculated pace and raspy wails teaming to do ample damage. The leads ignite as the pace jolts, the vocals eat away at you, and a clean outro flows before being scuffed a touch by distortion. Closer “Back in the Trenches” has a power metal feel as it unloads, trucking and blistering, leaving you hacking in its dust. The leads turn molten and charge, gang shouts devastate, and melodic gusts bend your psyche, fading after one last glorious attack.
Wraith’s death-dusted thrash sounds mighty as ever on “Descent Into Darkness,” a record that’s a massive warning shot to a society solely crumbling into madness. We have plenty of history to lean on as things get more volatile, but as our alleged leaders do their worst to warp history, we might not even have a chance to prove we’ve learned any lessons. It doesn’t take much to spark violence, and Wraith are doing their part to try to ensure more people wake up so we can avoid a turbulent fate.
For more on the band, go here: https://www.instagram.com/wraiththrash
To buy the album, go here: https://shop.prostheticrecords.com/
For more on the label, go here: https://prostheticrecords.com/
