Hidden Gems & Guilty Pleasures: Wraith (USA)
Photos by Christian Danner
Wraith (Blackened Speed/Thrash Metal/Punk, USA)
What started as a one-man band in 2016, Wraith has evolved into a propulsive beast of a band. Channeling a reverence to classic metal from a bygone era, Wraith incorporate their distinctively blistering sonic signature to create something urgent and contemporary. The band have previously described their collective mission as follows: a war of aggression on the dour confines of the modern metal scene and total sonic annihilation.
»Fueled By Fear« captures the raw punk edge of their previous releases; a sound that will already be familiar to converts who have caught the band live in all their full-throttled abrasive glory. The album was self-produced by the band in Griffith, Indiana, with engineering, mixing and mastering handled by CJ Rayson. Each member brings their own influences and stylistic flourishes to the table, combining to create a tightly wound, cohesive collection of scorching tracks that reflect their individual personalities and tastes.
Thematically the album explores a dystopian landscape where the boundaries between fiction and reality are blurred, and global and political tensions form in a powder keg of fraught possibilities. Whilst the tales they weave are rooted in reality and an interest in religion, history and political science, they have given themselves free reign to explore the outer reaches of nightmarish possibilities.
Back firmly in the real world, Wraith have a busy year of live shows planned and every intention of getting heads banging with their mosh-ready brand of snarling heavy metal.
Wraith’s fourth full-length album »Fueled By Fear« was released on June 28th, 2024 via Prosthetic Records. Order your copy HERE!
Speaking on the signing and album announcement, Wraith commented: “We are beyond excited to finally announce our signing with Prosthetic, along with the announcement of our new record »Fueled By Fear«. As a band that has been around a little while, we believe that this partnership will help push us to the next level. It is an absolute honor to work with a label that has been so instrumental in metal, and we hope that we can leave our mark like many other Prosthetic artists before us.”
About lead single »Heathen’s Touch«, the band adds: “»Heathen’s Touch« feels like a pummeling introduction to our new record. I believe that the song displays all the elements Wraith fans, new and old, have come to appreciate. The song rips from start to finish, and it has one of our favorite bridge sections on the entire record.”
Courtesy of Prosthetic Records
Discography:
• »Wraith« EP (Sleep Well Productions, 2017)
• »System Overlord« Single (2018)
• »Heed The Warning« LP (2018)
• »Devil’s Hour« Single (2019)
• »Acid Mass« Single (2019)
• »Absolute Power« LP (2019)
• »Index Case: The Quarantine Sessions…« EP (Redefining Darkness Records, 2020)
• »Speed Armageddon« Split (Bonepick Records, 2020)
• »Cloaked In Black« Single (Redefining Darkness Records, 2021)
• »Bite Back« Single (Redefining Darkness Records, 2021)
• »Gatemaster« Single (Redefining Darkness Records, 2021)
• »Undo The Chains« LP (Redefining Darkness Records, 2021)
• »Counter Attack!« Single (2022)
• »Faster Than The Fucking Devil« Split (Wise Blood Records, 2022)
• »Heathen’s Touch« Single (Prosthetic Records, 2024)
• »Merchant Of Death« Single (Prosthetic Records, 2024)
• »Fueled By Fear« LP (Prosthetic Records, 2024)
Band members:
Matt Sokol – Guitar, Vocals
Jason Schultz – Guitar
Mike Drysch – Bass
Mike Szymendera – Drums
FFO: Venom, Motörhead, Midnight, Toxic Holocaust, Hellripper, Bewitcher, Whipstriker, Bat, Lucifuge, Bonehunter, Power Trip
Bojan Bidovc // music enthusiast, promoter, misanthrop and sometimes a journalist as well