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Wretch: Man Or Machine

Heavy Metal

5.0/5.0

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Pure Steel Records
Released: 15.03.2019
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 06.03.2019

What couldn't be done some 30 odd year ago is happening now. Wretch is on a roll. Dating to the mid-Eighties, the Cleveland metal band has dropped four albums in the last six years, including last year's reissue of their 2006 debut Reborn. Now Wretch returns with Man Or Machine as they also begin a short European club tour at the end of this month.

Wretch

As you will recall, Wretch plays traditional American heavy power metal, clearly influenced by its New Wave of British Heavy Metal predecessor. The band works from the genre's most basic components: twin guitar harmony and leads, power and groove in the rhythm section, and clean soaring metal vocals in the Halford and Dickinson legacy. It's a formula that works for Wretch, and also explains their popularity in Europe, which still remembers its classic heavy metal history.

As for the album, essentially it's loaded with a bevy of guitar inspired heavy metal tunes. The title cut offers you some classic metal with mixed pacing. Destroyer Of Worlds gets heavy and fast and adds a crushing gang vocal chorus. With Steeler, you may be reminded of Judas Priest as the song gallops with a true rock groove while the the guitarists go insane in their solos. Strike Force One opens with a terrific drum flurry before ripping into some bullet train power metal. With Requiem Aeternam the brisk power metal continues driven by a thick bass line. Yet about three-quarters in Wretch mellows with a breakdown featuring voice over acoustic guitar. Wretch also offers you The Inquisitor Trilogy, a fine trio of classic heavy metal songs. The middle song, The Inquisitor, has another fine breakdown in the middle with acoustic guitar over drums for a haunting effect, before rising into a terrific guitar solo. Finally, you need to listen to the end of the album for the acoustic version of the title song, a hidden track. Needless to say, with Man Or Machine Wretch has delivered another fine and entertaining album of classic, guitar-forward, American heavy metal. Easily recommended.

The Riven: The Riven

Melodic Heavy Blues Rock

3.5/5.0

Formed in London in 2016, The Riven hit the road running with their well-received five song debut EP, Blackbird. In 2018, the quartet, fronted by female ... [ Read More ]

Note: All Amazon advertising in this review first benefits the artist, then Craig Hartranft also receives a residual. Click, and thanks for your support.

With Man Or Machine Wretch has delivered another fine and entertaining album of classic, guitar-forward, American heavy metal. Easily recommended.

Alphabetical Index

The Powell Payne project, created in 2022 is the collaboration of Mark "Penfold Powell (ex-drummer of Psycho Kiss) and Adam Payne (former vocalist of Airrace). With guitarist Adam Davies and keyboard player ... [ Read More ]