Wounds – Ruin

Written by on 23-03-2024 at 11:35.

Here we have a band that has been around for quite some time and absolutely takes its time to produce remarkable achievements. We’re talking about Wounds from Chicago, and they play technical death metal. The band started in 2006 under the name Wounds of Ruin and has undergone various transformations over the years, including adopting a new name and simplifying it to just Wounds. All this led to the release of the EP Light Eater via Everlasting Spew Records in 2019, to considerable acclaim. Now, five years later, we welcome their full-fledged debut, titled Ruin, through this Italian label with a keen eye for quality.

What immediately stands out is the excellent production on Ruin, especially when compared to the sound of the EP, which sounded quite muddy. Musically, it’s not much different. As mentioned earlier, the band plays raw, brutal technical death metal in the style of later Deeds of Flesh. Often, Wounds employ staccato basic riffs in a kind of chugga-chugga-chugga style, and around this basic ingredient, we are treated to a variety of changes where technical death metal clearly takes the forefront. Sometimes brutal and fast, and then melodic and stomping, keeping you on your toes. The music is generally not excessively fast, but the pedal goes deep quite regularly. Vocalist Norman Hale deserves a special mention. Damn, what a powerhouse. Initially, I was convinced that they had two completely different singers working. Nothing could be further from the truth, as all the vocal power comes from one and the same person. The man presents at least three different singing styles. At least. Brutal, squeezed screams or growls, he handles it all with apparent ease. So it seems.

The album Ruin consists of nine tracks, with the first, Of Ruin, serving as an instrumental intro or a precursor to what one can expect for the rest of the record. The atmosphere is already lively as we move on to The Archfiend’s Apothecary, where we start hacking on the destroying campaign that Wounds have in store for us. Here, you quickly hear what the vocalist is capable of. The song constantly varies, moving from the chugga-chugga style at midtempo to swirlingly fast with refined guitar licks. Behind it all, you hear the relentless whipping of the drum set and the thumping bass tones keeping everything in check.

On Doom Incarnate, we waste no time in stating intentions, and the song immediately rams from the beginning. Norman Hale also gets to showcase his multivocality right away, and it works really well. The song relies less on technical flourishes and leans more on brutality and solid riffs. In The Maw Of The Beast starts groovy and commanding, further leaning into technical death metal as heard in more traditional bands like Spawn of Possession and older Psycroptic. And thus, the few songs briefly describe what the gentlemen have in store.

Wounds has convinced me with their debut album Ruin, which was no surprise as I already liked the EP a lot. I must honestly confess that I initially had some difficulty with the band’s writing style. It initially seems to jump from one thing to another. From chuggs to blastbeat to technically frisky artistry. Every time the pedal is pressed, it unexpectedly comes off and I couldn’t shake the feeling that the momentum just wouldn’t build up. But after several listens, I began to realize that the moments of restraint should be seen as a tantric experience that ultimately led to orgasmic satisfaction. It has become a very good album, and with that, I conclude this review with a big smile.

Score:

85/100

Label:

Everlasting Spew Records, 2024

Tracklisting:

  1. Of Ruin
  2. The Archfiend’s Apothecary
  3. Doom Incarnate
  4. In the Maw of the Beast
  5. Birth of a New Light
  6. Dismember and Devour
  7. Zoophagist
  8. Ready Your Mind for the Grind
  9. Bent on Disaster

Line-up:

  • Norman Hale – Vocals
  • Nate Burgard – Drums
  • Franco Caballero – Bass
  • Rick Mora – Guitar

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