After five years of waiting, the thrash metal powerhouse from South California, Warbringer, are finally poised to bring us their newest project, Wrath and Ruin. Packed with heaviness and memorable rhythms, the band redefines what they know and challenge themselves to deliver an unforgettable experience. From the energetic and swift opening track, ‘The Sword and the Cross’, to the dark vocal masterpiece ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’, the album offers the listener both chaos and calm, all while delivering an unforgettable performance.
Wrath and Ruin is an eight-track album composed of many different elements, that all serve to tie the piece together. The album opener, ‘The Sword and the Cross’, and the following song, ‘A Better World’, are the only singles released, but they both showcase the album’s potential. John Kevill’s striking vocals are taking us right into the action, immediately followed by Carlos Cruz’s jaw-dropping drum work. The guitarists Adam Caroll and Chase Becker are not soon forgotten either, as they're on it from the off. With ‘The Sword and The Cross’ happening in the medieval world and ‘A Better World’ being placed in the present, the two contrast lyrically with each other, yet they work together flawlessly.
On the other hand, ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’ tends towards the gothic side of things a little, with the pace of the song slowing slightly. The change of the tone can be heard throughout all instruments, but mainly in Kevill’s voice, starting off the song with whispers only to go straight into a fry vocal, fitting the style of the song excellently. Becker’s and Caroll’s guitar work is stand out, as we can hear in both solos throughout the song.
Making our way through the album, we can see Warbringer did not hold back on keeping things modern with some punchy melodies found throughout. The band also clearly took care to think about the transitions between the songs, as we can see in ‘Through a Glass, Darkly’, ‘Cage of Air’ and ‘The Last of My Kind’. These three songs all start off rather slowly, giving the listener a moment to take a breath before diving back into the action. ‘The Last of My Kind’ also features a piano in the intro, a trait that no other song on the album possesses.
While the slow transitions are a good way of changing up the pace, it still might be overwhelming for the listener to finish the whole album in one go, as it sometimes feels like we are being thrown from one song to another without a seatbelt. ‘Cage of Air’ is the only song on the album that has a noticeable bridge, which makes the listening experience on that song somewhat different. The acoustics fit well in that part of the track and really tie it together.
Focusing on the rhythm across the album, Carlos Cruz’s impressive drumming skills display both his raw aggression and his precision, standing out in tracks such as in ‘The Jackhammer’, where the snare takes its rightful spotlight. As for the bass, it's sadly quite rare to hear Chase Bryant playing in the background due to the two guitars overwhelming power, and it is definitely something that would be worth some attention as it would add more depth to the project.
With Wrath and Ruin, Warbringer prove to us that they still deserve to be considered amongst the top modern thrash bands. Whilst there is some space for the band to improve, the album is well made and its strengths overpower its weaknesses. It'll make a good listen for anyone who enjoys the modern metal scene, as it brings together the best elements of that with a healthy dollop of respect for what came before.
Score: 7/10
Wrath and Ruin is coming out on 14th March via Napalm Records.
Words: Katerina Stepanikova
Photos: Warbringer
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