Wristmeetrazor as a band name is simultaneously hard as hell and likely to make some people scoff and call it edgelord behaviour. Thankfully though, their music is entirely the former and the band have been slicing out a name for themselves in the more frantic end of metalcore for seven years now. Sitting somewhere between screamo, mathcore and noughties metalcore, the Washington D.C crew made a mighty statement with 2021’s Replica Of A Strange Love, making a record that sounded like From First To Last meets Knocked Loose inside the mind of a philosopher after too much acid. There was also more than a hint of nu-metal in the band’s sound which has only grown more prevalent on their latest effort Degeneration.
When Replica Of A Strange Love came out, the band existed in a small scene. The screamo/emo/metalcore blend they peddled seemed almost strange, a deliberate throwback, with only bands like SeeYouSpaceCowboy doing anything remotely similar. Today however, they exist in a bigger class. For this record, the band have had a few lineup changes, with former bassist Justin Fornhoff now exclusively their vocalist, and introducing their new bassist Userelaine, formerly of Spiritworld and Nate Billmyer on guitar), which is one of the reasons for the album feeling a little more chaotic. That’s not to say that their last effort was restrained by any means, but with Justin having the freedom to focus entirely on his delivery, it takes the record up a few steps. Also immediately noticeable is the production. Things feel weightier, chunkier and the nu-metal has been cranked up. We’re not talking about Limp Bizkit taking it to the Matthews bridge here though, think more Spineshank and American Head Charge and their industrial slant.
Randy Lebeouf is behind the mixing and production desk for things and his impact is immediate. ‘Turn On, Tune In, Drop Dead, hits like a train through your front room. There’s a swagger to things with the track sounding like something you could imagine leather-clad vampires grinding away to. Justin’s vocals, as mentioned, benefit from stepping away from bass. If anything, when you go back to previous efforts he almost sounds reserved in comparison. ‘Static Reckoning’ takes the chaos of the opening track and moulds it into something huge. The soaring chorus, reminiscent of early Bleeding Through and almost Machine Head stomp throughout show that the band aren’t just preparing for the big leagues, they’re getting their foot in the door. Perhaps the biggest sonic shift on this record is the amount of groove thrown into the band’s sound, to the point where combined with the nu-metal bounce and EDM elements, there’s bound to be as much ass-shaking in the pits as there are stray elbows.
Lyrically, Wristmeetrazor have always been a step ahead of their peers in terms of scope and depth. While previous works saw the band applying Nietzchian philosophy to their lives and beliefs for a difficult, yet rewarding listen, this time their anger is focused elsewhere, at the world and its various inhabitants. Via metaphor, allegory and gritted teeth, Justin and the band conjure tales of death, the mechanical nature of society and injustice.
This record was recorded in a series of intense, almost claustrophobic recording sessions over a month isolated in the New Jersey Woods, a place famous for the cold, the loneliness and the Pine Barrens episode of Sopranos. This unique experience is felt through the record, with at times the songs themselves sounding like they want to stop, to end before things get too much and listening alongside that knowledge, it makes for a slightly uneasy time.
From Darkest Hour style riffing on ‘Xeroxed Perfection’ to the Fear Factory by way of Torture Garden style mechanical stomp of ‘Synthetic-51n’, the band know how to mix things up. It’s all enhanced by their distinct lyrical, vocal and pounding style. This is perhaps the most effective way that metalcore has been able to go full dangerous, spikes and wires (cyber)goth in a long time. Barring a select few moments, the record offers very little in the way of dynamics and variations in sound. However, one could argue that you know exactly what you’re getting with Wristmeetrazor and they aren’t a band who you expect to break out the somber, atmospheric electronics or acoustic guitar.
In terms of a step up in the bands sound, this record is a massive statement. They’ve made everything bigger heftier and more fun, all without compromising their unique feeling. There are moments where you feel the record may benefit from one or two more shifts in tone but overall, you may be witnessing the crowning of metalcore’s new favourite band.