I am a big believer in Karma and the thought process that everything eventually evens itself out. To me, reality is only your perception of current events, thus making it impossible for any two people to ever experience the exact same thing. One prime example of how the universe balances itself out is how different my last review is from Wrath and Rapture’s self-titled debut album. If you are a frequent reader of my reviews than you know that the previous band sounded like they recorded a pile of burning trash being thrust upon an illiterate clown dwarf inside of a dentist’s office. So along comes Wrath and Rapture and from the moment this disc starts spinning certain key elements jump right out at you. The first few seconds drew me into the keyboards and synthesizer. I have heard plenty of metal bands use keyboards and piano before but none had done it as eloquently as Wrath and Rapture. The keyboards weren’t just awkwardly thrown in the mix, or placed as a backdrop to the guitars. Rather, the piano, keyboards and synth all added exciting elements to the music, which for me, opened up a whole other side of metal. The melody on the high end of the audio spectrum was an absolute joy to hear, especially in a genre dominated by the lowest lows.

Now don’t get me wrong, the opposite end of the spectrum is equally impressive with amazing double kick, muddy bass lines and well-placed 808’s. Songs like “The Dirge of Fallen Warriors” and “Disembodiment” really get to the core of what all metal should be. These songs posses the three key elements to a great metal song…it’s intricate, progressive and still makes you want to rip a hole in the skull of your boss. The album does contain breakdowns and for many people (including myself) that can be a huge turnoff, however, Wrath and Rapture actually go out of their way to write compelling music in between breakdowns. So many bands today compose a song centered around eight different breakdowns with a few blast beats in between. BORING! Wrath and Rapture have intricate song structures and beautiful harmonies that would make most bands drool. Even the engineering on this album is spectacular. Everything is clean and the mix is full and vibrant without any one instrument really treading on another.

If I had any issues with this release, it would be the fact that it contains ten tracks, three of which are instrumental interludes, along with one intro and an At The Gates cover. The listener really only gets five full-length songs from this disc. I am not sure if Wrath and Rapture were trying to fool people into thinking this was a full-length album but if you cut around the filler it’s more like a five song EP. There isn’t much meat and potatoes and I would be interested to see what future releases are like. I do love the interludes with their beautiful harmonies and soaring guitar solos but I also need more substance. As long as the members of this band steer clear of the Deathcore stereotype, then they should have a long and prosperous career ahead of them. RIYL: The Devil Wears Prada and Arsonists Get All The Girls

4.0/5