Watching Wraith’s sudden rise to infamy has been one of the highlights of the past few years for this Chicago based metalhead. Hailing from good ol’ northwest Indiana (AKA right next door), this band has gone from playing every other week at LiveWire Lounge to becoming one of the most hyped bands on the scene. Granted, us local maniacs have been on the Wraith bandwagon for quite some time, so it’s really a trip to see the likes of Decibel and Banger TV singing their praises. Praises, mind you, that are completely warranted by the ferocious filth of their latest album, Undo the Chains.
Besides being semi-local, Wraith caught my attention by sounding a lot like how Toxic Holocaust and Midnight used to be. I’m sure I’ve said this in reviews pertaining to other first wave of black metal revivalists, but for two bands that practically kickstarted a newfound interest in all things Venom, they’ve sure strayed away from such. One (Midnight) incorporates subtle NWOBHM-isms with each subsequent release, while the other (Toxic Holocaust) has settled for a straightforward thrash metal path akin to what early Metallica, landing them a deal with mega conglomerate eOne. That leaves the four miscreants in Wraith to conjure a brutal blend of black metal, thrash metal, and punk, picking up where their forefathers left off.
I feel there’s two sides to Wraith. One side is showcased via ragers such as “Dominator”, “Gift of Death”, and “Victims for the Sword”. These cuts follow the textbook Toxic Holocaust formula of d-beats, high speed riffing, blackened vocals, and an all around wild spirit. Throw in the occasional mosh section for good measure and voila. Other tracks in this old school metalpunk vein include the savagely sleazy “Mistress of the Void”, as well as “Born to Die”, which reminds me of Iron Fist era Motörhead in terms of riffing and arrangement.
While half of this album falls into the party ready, “drinking metal” category, the other half is a raging bull of no nonsense thrash metal, with an emphasis on slamming riffs. The midtempo aggression of “Gatemaster” borders on classic crossover, its riffage pissed off enough to appeal to thrashers and hardcore kids alike. “Cloaked in Black” and “Terminate” slam nearly as hard, coming off like a blackened Power Trip. Then we have dark horses like “Bite Back”, as anthemic as it is angry, and the punk and disorderly blur that is “Disgusting”.
Undo the Chains feels less like an album released in 2021 and more like a mixtape made by your best hesher friend in high school from 1986. You know, the friend that your mom warned you was “nothing but trouble”. That may be true, but it’s usually the troublemakers who have the best music taste. So the next time you’re in the mood to cause trouble, raise hell, or whatever your preferred hyperbolic term for “fun” is, give your Welcome to Hell vinyl a rest (its only been 40 years) and put on Wraith!
7 out of 10
Label: Redefining Darkness Records
Genre: Black/Thrash Metal
For fans of: Toxic Holocaust, Midnight, Power Trip