Warbringer - Wrath and Ruin ★★★☆☆

THRASH METAL | FEBRUARY 2025 — INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK | METAL-ARCHIVES     FOR FANS OF: ENFORCED, LICH KING, CRISIX, SKELETONWITCH

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★★★★☆ SONGWRITING

★★★★☆ THEMES

★★☆☆☆ LONGEVITY

★★★★☆ PRODUCTION

★★☆☆☆ THRASHABILITY

★★★☆☆ GOOD SH!T

One of the few still relevant acts from the era of New Wave of Thrash Metal lets one rip out yet again!

There’s a noticeable shift in momentum on this album. While Warbringer still unleashes their signature high-octane assault, they’ve certainly tweaked the formula to send the longtime fans on their toes. The opening track 'The Sword and the Cross' doesn't beat around the bushes — sh!t is a great deal more melodic this time around. Feels like at occasion we're stepping into the land of Power Metal!

Which is not a bad thing, per se

'A Better World' exhibits a number of features attributed to sh!t you'll find at the charts — could this be a... hit? Short and sweet (in their own way), mirroring the hopelessness of the times we live in. While the in-betweeners do hold their own there's an undeniable sense of anticipation surrounding the standout pieces mentioned.

New Wave of Thrash Metal is still alive and kickin'!

'Through a Glass, Darkly' marks the biggest departure and evolution in Warbringer’s sound, introducing a newfound depth that contrasts sharply with the relentless savagery they’re known for.

The real question is whether longtime fans will embrace the changes and if new listeners will be drawn in by these fresh directions. It’s a delicate balancing act and undeniably a risk; one that deserves recognition whenever any band decides that its time. In many respects, Wrath and Ruin presents itself with a more refined sense of purpose — whether its a result of simply wanting a change or maturing in their craft isn't relevant — but the album does struggle to bridge the new with the old.

With all that said its not like you couldn't recognise the band — this sh!t rips and tears and shreds and mauls, and then it gets nasty. Warbringer has always been an acquired taste with its absolutely raw nature, and its not later than John Kevill's lacerating shrieks that the mind takes a 90 degree turn towards Extreme Metal.

Teetering on the edge of proper reinvention of itself — for all its towering moments, Wrath and Ruin struggles to sustain its newfound momentum, leaving stretches of uninspired terrain in its wake.