Wretched – “Cannibal” [Album Review]

This past summer, Victory Records’ outlier band, Wretched, released their fourth full-length album, Cannibal. Before that fateful day on June 10th, when I streamed a few songs out of curiosity, I honestly had only heard their name thrown around once or twice. Although their first few LPs were phenomenal, they really were not breaking through the ceiling of renown, and were certainly not garnering the recognition they deserved. But let me make one thing clear—after Summer 2014, that is absolutely no longer the case. Cannibal speaks for itself!

The album, as a whole, slays from start to finish. Sheer technical brutality and keen musical execution are responsible for skyrocketing Wretched into the realm of metal megastars. The ardent fan will notice that Wretched’s writing style has grown heavier and progressed slightly since their last release, perhaps due in part to new members, vocalist Adam Cody and bassist Andrew Grevey.

The fact of the matter is that Cannibal is a powerful piece of work, and songs like “Cranial Infestation” and “Morsel” speak volumes for how far Wretched has come, and how far they are going to go. Rather than tell you how catchy the riffs in “Cranial Infestation” are, how the jazz nuances in the bass-heavy breakdown gave me goose bumps, or how “Salt Lick” had the honest lyrics to sooth my starved soul, I want to encourage every reader to go listen to the album (whole thing is just below). Maybe even purchase a copy! It is truly that good, and for both their musicality and the efforts that shine through on Cannibal, Wretched deserves every cent they get.

* Be sure to also check out our recent interview with Joel Moore and Adam Cody, plus our live pics of the band at DNA Lounge (San Francisco, CA) on December 10, 2014.

Track Listing:

01. Gold Above Me
02. Morsel
03. Calloused
04. Thin Skinned
05. L’appel du Vide
06. Cranial Infestation
07. Salt Lick
08. Cannibal
09. Wetiko
10. To The Flies
11. Engulfed In Lethargy

Run Time: 44:16
Release Date: June 10, 2014

Check out the ‘Cannibal’ album stream