Wristmeetrazor // Degeneration
Wristmeetrazor has been interesting to follow for the last few years. I wouldn’t be surprised if their name turns some people away, but it truly fits the early metalcore sound that they are trying to revive.
Kids these days might not realize this, but cutting and self harm was super prevalent in the early scene days (maybe it still is and I just don’t see posts from teenagers anymore…). Anyway, real scene veterans will remember how every big band used to take pictures with the same cardboard sign that basically said “things will get better.” So while Wristmeetrazor’s name might be edgy and a little cringe, there is a visceral connection between it and the history/culture of the music they are playing.
Early Wristmeetrazor was similar to SeeYouSpaceCowboy, especially with the raspy vocals. They had a theatrical flair and a sense of drama reminiscent of Drop Dead Gorgeous and Greeley Estates
Now, three albums in, Wristmeetrazor has evolved in unexpected ways. Visually, their identity hasn’t changed much, but their sound is much more mature. I normally hate saying that, but it’s true in this case.
They traded in some screamo elements for grooves and melodic death metal riffs (similar to what As I Lay Dying was doing in 2005). They still have breakdowns, but the songs feel faster. I say it like that because I’m not sure if they’re actually faster or if it just sounds like that because they dropped most of the panic chords and adopted more of a thrash metal approach.
The best parallel is how Bullet For My Valentine shifted between ‘The Poison’ and ‘Scream Aim Fire.’ The Poison is still my favorite album from them, but it felt like they grew up a bit and gained a better understanding of straight up metal.
That parallel is especially fitting because “Trepanation” sounds like a heavy version of Bullet For My Valentine. As somebody who finds recent BFMV songs to be hit or miss, it’s very cool to hear Wristmeetrazor dial that sound up to eleven.
This is a very interesting album for me. There isn’t one particular aspect that I’m drawn to, but I continue to return to it because it advances a style of metalcore that I have always enjoyed and feel is underappreciated.
