Undo the Chains

Blackened speed metal savages Wraith are back with their 3rd album.

A quick sampling followed by massive 80s thrash metal riffing atop stomping drums start our journey with an impactful heaviness that jumps right into the assault. Following the intro, maniacal speeding riffs spew a volcanic magma atop d-beat ferocity for the vocals to spit venomous incantations alongside, immediately picking up where Wraith left off on “Absolute Power”. The grooving hooks sit comfortably between high-speed artillery to give the headbangers and moshers their stomping ground while never failing to keep up momentum, including when the piercing lead work gives us some shred-craft before the inferno of savagery continues. The ceaseless energy is impressive, something that has garnered the band a loyal following already and here we can see fans won’t be let down. Newcomers will be treated to some incredible musicianship, fiery energy and a strong production that conveys their signature brand of carnage triumphantly.

Wraith’s ravenous appetite for destruction and debauchery is not only fun but feels sincere, which is an important balance to achieve in this style of blackened speed metal. Too much fun and it feels like a parody of itself, while if you strip out those Venom style tongue-in-cheek nuances, it feels rigid. Here is a grand example of a band who achieve a fantastic balance of rabid aggression and anthemic choruses that is infectious throughout. Packing one hell of a punch that consistently hits with mighty force, these songs pass by in a flurry of devastation that summons the old school ways with its own flavour injected into the mix. Aside from the obvious black, speed and old school thrash metal influences, there is some touches of crossover here (best highlighted on “Disgusting”) that will appeal to fans of the late Power Trip while contemporaries such as Hellripper and Bastardizer (with whom the band released a marvellous split last year) are far more obvious comparisons. However you look at it, that makes for a violent but enjoyably upbeat black speed/thrash metal mania.

Another strong release from Wraith who seem to never slow down. With an album almost every year (except 2020, where we still got a killer split and EP), this band cannot be called lazy. Nor can they be accused of stagnation as their unrepentant energy does not falter here either. Personally I feel “Absolute Power” had more memorable moments, but this album is certainly still a ferocious effort and definitely worth cranking at the highest of volumes to accompany any and all mayhem.

Written for www.nattskog.wordpress.com

Getting up to speed with Wraith is no mean feat, and their third album in 4 years proves why. Undo the Chains takes just 32 minutes to spit out 12 songs, which should inform that both punk and speed metal tendencies remain at hand. These Americans can play slower, just they don’t do it very often or for very long. The extra lunge of blackened attitude and crossover thrash aggression takes this through the roof at times, such as when ‘Victims of the Sword’ and ‘Mistress of the Void’ hit clinical choruses in a furious flurry of riffing. I was quite a fan of how prior full-length Absolute Power concentrated on slamming riffs as well as the blackened jangle of fury at times, and that’s how ‘Gatemaster’ operates here, not rushing too much but crunching along on high intensity at medium pace.

Those changes in pace notwithstanding, I don’t think Wraith ultimately come up with enough tricks or hooks to bring this past the standard of Hellripper’s or Bewitcher’s best work. Sure, everything is too brief and furious to actually feel boring, yet much of it is very much there without adding anything beyond the regulation vocal slogans and a few spicier leads. I mean, go listen to Hellripper’s ‘Black Arts & Alchemy’ to know what black/speed can achieve with a little flair and creative thinking. Undo the Chains suffers from cuts like ‘Cloaked in Black’ and ‘Gift of Death’ that arrive spoiling for a fight and ultimately win, just that they don’t pull off many crowd-pleasing moves. This sort of music should make me want to get blind drunk and punch holes in the wall, but Wraith put me more in the mood to chug a fizzy drink and clean the apartment really fast. In that regard, the heavy metal vibes of ‘Born to Die’ prove more than just ironic entertainment, though only by a slight margin.


Originally written (in edited form) for Metalegion #10 - www.metalegion.com

Extreme music has certainly come a long way since the early speed and thrash metal bands started pushing the envelope in the early 1980s. It's gotten heavier, faster, more complex and more precise. While I love all of this innovation, sometimes nothing beats that classic early 1980s sound. If that's what you're in the market for, look no further than Indiana's Wraith. On September 24th they released their third full-length album, 'Undo the Chains', via Redefining Darkness Records.

Wraith's sound brings together the unapologetic aggression of crossover thrash like Power Trip with the energy and dark edge of blackened speed metal bands like Midnight and Bewitcher. The result is an instant classic thrash sound loaded with chunky riffs that feels like a time capsule from the early 1980s. While there isn't anything super new or innovative about this sound, as Bewitcher and Midnight have demonstrated, there is still a decent amount of interest in this style of metal. Much of my personal interest comes as a reaction to the super precise, sometimes sterile nature of a lot of modern extreme metal. While there are a fair amount of bands playing this style, Wraith feels unique.

What separates Wraith from these other bands is the raw punk energy in their sound. It gives all of the riffs an extra punch and swagger that many similar bands don't have. Look no further than the riffs of 'Dominator' and 'Victims of the Sword'. They're simple, have a lot of energy and add to the old school feel of this album. This kind of energy comes out best in a live setting but is represented well here and makes this album that much enjoyable to listen to. Factor in this album's short, roughly thirty-two minute, runtime and you've got a ball of pure energy just waiting to be let out. The only point on this album where Wraith lets up on the intensity is the mid tempo stomper, 'Time Wins'. This song is a nice change of pace and shows off more of what Wraith can do as musicians.

'Undo the Chains' demonstrates that an album doesn't need to be super original to be good. Crossover thrash and blackened speed metal are both well established genres in their own right and they make sense together. Wraith uses the best elements of these styles and creates an incredibly solid album. Chances are if you're an avid metal fan, you've heard all of these elements before but it's undeniable how well Wraith uses them. This album definitely feels a bit one note but that note is played excellently, and largely due to the album's short run time, never gets old. The short run time also covers up the lack of variety in song structure.

'Undo the Chains' is an excellent breath of fresh air that takes extreme metal back to its gritty roots. This album has a great organic feel that many bands lose because of modern production. Wraith has something in their music for every type of metal fan, which is no easy task. Hand this album to that one metal fan that complains that metal hasn't been good since the 1980s and their mind will surely be changed. This is definitely an album and band worth supporting especially if you have the chance to see them live.

Originally published on my Facebook blog: 33 RPM Chaos

Since the previous Wraith album didn’t exactly reel me in, I wasn’t overly fast to hear Undo The Chains, but I’m glad I did. While their style has been rather straightforward blackened speed metal with punk touches, their last album tried to clean things up but didn’t take the writing much further. Enter the third and latest effort, and everything pays off. Not only is the writing tighter itself, but there’s more to dig up.

For their first time ever, there are drastic tempo shifts within songs that manage to bring the tone with it in a smooth manner, which naturally breathes more life. It goes without saying that this also means they’ve figured out how to execute slower songs with swift motion, allowing for cleaner cuts and overall better output. Opening “Gatemaster” on a small solo that leads into the verse was certainly a solid move. “Cloaked In Black” has to be one of my favorites, incorporating several layers of rhythms under wailing leads before breaking into the beef of the track.

You still get plenty of the straightforward punk vibes on Undo The Chains. “Mistress Of The Void” is a quick banger that rides on the simple formulas with an earworm of a chorus. “Disgusting” does a lot with that in a short amount of time, ending on an explosive note. On a newer scope, you can gather rock ‘n roll vibes in “Born To Die,” which are to the point and loads of fun. Steadier progressions have honestly done wonders for the band in all of these areas.

Really, this is the Wraith record I’ve truly been waiting for. Though it isn’t groundbreaking or mind blowing by any means, this is easily the best effort by the band to date. I could see this taking a more traditional thrash direction down the line and peaking in even more territory. Lots of aggression, plenty of full riffing, and a dash of fun. If you hear one album by them, make it this one.