It’s still pretty early in 2024, but the death metal has been flowing like a fine wine. I for one am not complaining, far from it. As long as I have a steady feeding of this and black metal, all is right in my world. Which brings me to my latest find, the Chicago, Illinois band Wounds and their debut album Ruin. This is death metal done right, especially for those who enjoy an ideal mix of heaviness, brutality, plus technicality.
From the opening salvo of “The Archfiend’s Apothecary” and “Doom Incarnate” one can feel the sense of urgency. Two major highlights immediately leap out with “In the Maw of the Beast” and “Birth of a New Light.” Not surprisingly, these were both album favorites for me. The guitar and bass histrionics thanks to Rick Mora and Franco Caballero respectively wrap themselves around any listener with a pulse. “Dismember and Devour” was another instant favorite courtesy of the drum pattern laid down by Nate Burgard. This one sounds excellent coming from the car speakers and Norman Hale’s vocals are simply evil-sounding.
A key element to records like this is the closing number and “Bent On Disaster” encapsulates that feeling perfectly. Really the record comes together almost seamlessly. My one complaint is the intro track “Of Ruin”. I’m not a fan of these at all – something that should be taken into consideration in the future. But that’s a minor blemish on an otherwise very strong Wounds album, so enjoy!
Standout Tracks: “Dismember and Devour”, “In the Maw of the Beast”, “Birth of a New Light”