Descent Into Darkness, the sixth full-length from Indiana-based blackened thrash/speed metal goliaths, WRAITH, is out now and streaming via Prosthetic Records!
Descent Into Darkness is at once uncompromising and undeniable. Lauds Sonic Perspectives, “The world of violence and horror that it builds in 35 minutes of time is vivid enough to rival a full-length feature film, and no self-respecting extreme thrash fan worth their salt will want to miss this premier.” Metal Epidemic concurs, “Beyond the sheer speed, Descent Into Darkness excels in its execution. The production strikes a tight balance as it retains the raw hostility of blackened thrash while benefiting from a clear mix that gives every bass line room to rumble and every kick drum real weight, without losing any guitar or vocal power.” Adds Meat Mead Metal, “the band… ravages with blackened thrash, feeling like a more acidic Motörhead 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 can easily leave you bruised.”
With WRAITH, what you see is what you get. Favoring focus and fire over frills and flash, the Indiana quartet – Matt Sokol (vocals, guitar), Jason Schultz (guitar), Chris Petkus (bass), and Mike Szymendera (drums) – summons the speed of old-school thrash through a prism of 21st century extreme metal accelerated at a breakneck pace. The Midwest-bred outfit allows the riffs, solos, furious beats, and haunting lyrics to speak on their behalf, conjuring imagery with the high-octane action of a big-screen historical epic.
Order “Descent Into Darkness” here. Stream here.
Descent Into Darkness was recorded with co-producer CJ Rayson. More than ever, Sokol leaned into inspiration from his day job as an educator, rooting much of the album in World War I. The process provided an opportunity to fully step inside of the subject matter he teaches on a daily basis.
“I majored in history, and now I’m a tenth-grade history teacher,” he notes. “I find a lot of inspiration from certain eras, so Descent Into Darkness is heavily themed around WWI. Most of the songs pull from some battle or phase of conflict. Even the artwork depicts a WWI battlefield with a reaper in the clouds. We’re telling stories from various perspectives. I’m interested in what these events were like for the people you don’t necessarily read about: the folks working in the mills or the soldiers who didn’t want to be there. I try my best to envision the experience within the music.”
“It’s relentless,” says Sokol. “It’s fast, but it’s simultaneously crushing and heavy. When we play, it’s lean and mean. We definitely let the music do the talking.”
Ultimately, WRAITH makes thrash with the potential to endure. “We’re doing our best to push the boundaries,” Sokol concludes. “I’m immensely proud of this body of work. We’ve matured, but it’s still a WRAITH record.”