REVIEW: “The Way Leads Home” - Wretched Sea
FEEL:
Wretched Sea’s new single, "The Way Leads Home," grabs you from the first second and refuses to let go. The drums crash through the speakers and kick off a raging tempest of a riff that has me feeling like the skies are dark, the waves are high, and there’s a perilous path ahead. Aye, mateys. We be on Wretched Seas for certain. Or Clearlake, which in itself can be one from time to time.
The track unapologetically wears its influences on its sleeve. While listening, I was brought back to that golden age of 2000’s Swedish Melodeath - think Arch Enemy, Soilwork, Dark Tranquility, In Flames. I had a song from each of those bands pop into my skull while experiencing this one. It balances pure aggression, twin-guitar hooks and eerie atmospheres that stick in your brain long after the final note decays
The Guitars: Travis Rinker, Chris Ponte
The guitar work on this track is a brilliant display of dual guitar architecture. What makes it so great is just how natural the riffs feel, working together. You can really hear this in the headphones when you focus on their arrangement. The rhythm tone has that crisp, biting Swedish saturation (that’s a thing, right?). Sharp enough to cut through, but thick enough in the lower-mids to feel massive. The lead passages and melodic solos are panned with fantastic width, and tell a tale of their own. Especially around 1:50 where the solo is introduced. When guitars are this dynamic through a track and not just 0-0-0 riffs, it can be difficult to balance the mids, but the workflow here has yielded something really fantastic. I have no doubt they will continue to refine it as new releases come out.
The Vocals: Tetiana “LadyFly” Campbell
The vocal delivery here is simply next-level. It’s got that raw, emotive guttural grit blended with razor-sharp high stabs that instantly brought me back to Angela Gossow-era Arch Enemy. During some of the higher screams, I found myself thinking of Extol (Undeceived era) and now I need to go listen to that whole amazing album again (Thanks for that, LadyFly). Then we get to see the versatility. Around the 1 minute mark, we hear some melodic vocals that are backed by the lead guitar. This siren-like atmosphere conjured all kinds of images like running through a dark forest. The chorus kicks in with clean vocals being backed by screams, and really drives it home. For this type of mix, it’s easy to bury the vocals under a mountain of reverb or sheer volume, but here, the delivery is articulate, punchy, and commanding.
The Drums & Low-End: Donovan Campbell and Kevin Mc
The drum assault from Donovan on this track is outstanding. The kick drum has a tight, chest-thumping sub-punch that stays crystal clear even during rapid double bass sections. The snare has a vicious snap to it that punches clean through the guitar wall, keeping the tempo locked down tight. Overheads are smooth without getting overly harsh or shrill on the cymbals. Sonically, the hat is a little hot, but this can also contribute to more of a live feel. The tom work throughout this song is incredible. I think a little boost to the low end of the toms and maybe a slight high shelf would help them pop. Overall, the drums, especially around the 1:25 mark make me feel like I’m marching into a battle of chaos.
When you have this many dynamics going already, you need a governor. Kevin Mc steps in with a thunderous bass sound that keeps everyone in line. While not as gritty as what some of us are used to hearing in modern productions, it packs a hell of a punch. That drop at about 2:10 tells the story. I look forward to hearing more of Kevin’s contributions on future releases.
Keys/Atmosphere: Tim
Tim brings an incredible sonic pallet to the track that really gives it a unique feel from the beginning. The tone is set from the start of the track. In the first 30 or so seconds of the track, the haunting, yet melodic phrases made me think of bands like Follow The Cipher, and Nightwish. The song is capped off by a super cool surprise that tells of things to come, and I can’t wait to hear more.
SUMMARY:
"The Way Leads Home" is a lean, mean melodic death metal anthem. It takes everything we love about classic Swedish melodeath and packages it into a lethal, modern offering. The song made me feel like I was marching into a huge battle - against what? Not sure yet. But whatever army they’re forming, sign me up. Wretched Sea needs to be on your radar, and playlists immediately.
Reviewed by Josh Hammond
Skycrest Studio Works, Helena, MT