The Pitch: Wow. Very exciting and original black metal release consisting of just drums, classical piano, and harsh vocals. No guitars, no problem. Get stoked for the creative duo Wreche off of Fragile Branch. FFO So Hideous, Wagner with corpsepaint
What I Like: Now we're talking. There have been some amazing releases this year, but not many that truly stand out from the pack. Wreche is most certainly a release that will turn your head. Black metal is a genre that already loves to play with convention, but Wreche show some real balls by ditching guitars and distortion entirely. Not even more courageous entries like Not For Music and Devil is Fine can say that. And the coolest thing is that I don't miss the ominous tremolos or crunchy chords one bit. I've mentioned many times before that I'm a little worn on the same old approaches, so this is a very welcome breath of fresh air. Furthermore, what the band loses in hooks, they more than make up for with Barrett's lively drumming and John's seemingly effortless prowess on the keys. It sounds like the Phantom of the Opera traded his mask for corpsepaint and singing for tortured howls. He beats on that ivory like it owes him money.
Critiques: Just don't stop. I am aching to hear what's next.
The Verdict: Powerful stuff, so much so that Wreche might even win over a few classical music enthiusiasts to the metal dark side. If you're curious to hear what a more minimalist approach to symphonic black metal sounds like, get the hell in here.
Flight's Fav's: Angel City, Fata Morgana, Vessel
