Good to see Victory Records pumping out heavier and more challenging product these days, The Exodus of Autonomy from North Carolina's Wretched probably one of the most brutal and classy releases to come out of the Victory camp in some time. Classy used in the same sentence as brutal you might say? Well, for a death metal album, The Exodus of Autonomy sure as hell features some solid production values, stellar guitar playing, thunderous drum work, and memorable extreme metal songs. Lead growler Billy Powers does a fine job here, taking his cue from both the classic late 80's/early 90's genre pioneers and the modern style of death & thrash vocals, and turns tracks like "Before the Rise" and "Preservation Of Immortality" into crushing examples of tasty death metal. Of course, much of the credit can also be accepted by guitarists Steven Funderburk and Joel Moore - these two have created a multitude of monstrous riffs, tasty leads, and technical fills, zig-zagging through every track and crushing your brain at every juncture. Bassist David Briggs and drummer Marshall Wieczorek keep the volleying going at all times, their rhythms tight yet just as intricate as the guitarwork, the four players feeding off each other quite well. Other examples of excellent melodic, technical death metal include "Fetal Consumption", "Mephistos Will", the near 9 minute progressive metal instrumental "VI: The Exodus Of Autonomy", and the absolutely brutal "VII: The Descent".
The great thing about Wretched is that they really seem to have found their own niche. Though you can hear influences from the Gothenburg scene, and the band obviously grew up on many of the same acts their fans have (Morbid Angel, Kataklysm, Behemoth, Cannibal Corpse), they don't go too far in any one direction, but just deliver their own brand of melodic, punishing, slightly technical death metal. Memorable stuff, heavy as hell, and just adventurous enough...what more can you ask for?
Track Listing
1. Shrouded In Filth 01:13
2. Aborning 03:39
3. Before The Rise 03:59
4. Preservation Of Immortality 03:46
5. Fetal Consumption 03:18
6. Mephistos Will 04:13
7. Deplorable Miscalculations 04:41
8. Final Devourment 03:42
9. VI: The Exodus Of Autonomy 08:50
10. VII: The Descent 04:59
11. VIII: Everlasting Damnation 01:24
Total playing time 43:44
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