Metal Debate Album Review - Dissolution (Wroht)

The Great Metal Debate Podcast

Today, we have a death metal band straight from the bay area of Oakland, California. I'm talking about Wroht with their 2nd full-length album Dissolution. So without further ado, let's dive into this new album. Kicking things off we have the song "Blood Prison". One thing that I've already noticed about this new record is that it seems to be a compilation of all the singles that this band has been periodically releasing since February. While I had already heard all of these on the Cycle of Torment EP, it was worth listening again as there have been a few additions to make it a full-length. This means "Blood Prison" is new to me. One thing that I love about this band is how they sorta capture the same magic as the early days of Bloodbath. Ivan Peric's vocal style is very similar to a young Mikael Åkerfeldt. Yes, this is definitely a good thing. I think many old Bloodbath fans like myself and even some Opeth fans would heavily enjoy Wroht. Normally during one of these album reviews, I would discuss every single track but we're a little behind on the podcast and I have so many albums to get through before the end of the month. So I'm gonna have to cut it short again and only talk about the new songs released on the 18th. Another new song to me on this full-length is "The Sweet Taste of Venom". I've always liked song titles that are the first lyrics of the song. As I listen closer to the rhythm of the guitar riffs I find myself slightly reminded of Kataklysm. It's cool how Wroht has masterfully caught the vocal essence of Swedish death metal but have blended the groovy melodies of our Canadian neighbors up north. This mix feels like they have created something new. While we're still comparing this United States death metal with Swedish acts, I'm also kinda picking up some of the catchy vibes from a band like Entrails. I also enjoy how Paul Olsen's bass riffs stand out during the break points of this song. There were a few other songs where the studio mixing allowed listeners like myself to really hear the reverberating bass lines. As someone who has dabbled with the bass guitar myself, I truly appreciate that. Lastly we have the album title track "Dissolution". It begins with Christian's absolutely insane blast beats. I honestly think this band has saved the best for last because once again, Paul's bass playing is a standout. Just like with the rest of the album and the Worship Rot debut before it, Joey and Justin play their guitars wonderfully together. Ivan's vocals are just as ferocious as ever. The softer musical moments are soothing and it's the crushing harsh comebacks that are almost deathcore in nature with the chug riffs. I love how there's a "blegh" shortly before a nice shredding guitar solo. I'll also say that this song is very long, yet you'll enjoy every second of it. Coming from someone who enjoys funeral doom, I'm no stranger to tracks that exceed 12 minutes. This is definitely one of the better underground death metal albums I have heard all year and that's saying something because I have already listened to over 350 metal albums this year. Not even exaggerating. I'll have to go back and do a recount before Gomthog and I's end of the year podcast episode but it's definitely more than what I heard last year. If I were to give Dissolution a rating, I would give it a solid 9/10. It's truly fantastic! If you would like to show your support for Wroht, their music is available on most streaming platforms.