Artist: Wrench in the Works
Album: Decrease/Increase
Label: Facedown Records
Release Date: March 16, 2010
Review By: Steve
Track Listing:
- Vultures
- Project Ak-47
- A Desert Voice
- Pocket Watch
- DeathSlayer
- Gethsemane
- Hearts and Masks
- Vows (I must decrease)
- Purge The Creep
- Walk Amongst The Tombstones
- Vows (He must increase)
One thing you can say about Wrench in the Works is that they do not fit your typical metalcore mold. These guys play loud and chaotic and I love it! I was a little worried that they would have a Facedown sophomore slump with Decrease/Increase, but rest assured they have taken it up a few notches. I liked their Facedown debut Lost Art of Heaping Coal, but Decrease/Increase is much better especially the production.
Wrench in the Works is a four-piece metalcore band out of Hartford, Connecticut that puts some thump behind their music. If you were ever going to call a band pretty boys these would not be the guys you would want to say that to. Wrench in the Works looks every bit as ferocious as their music. The first thing you will immediately notice when first listening to this album is that it sounds like the drums are sitting in your lap assaulting your eardrums. Most of the albums I have listened to recently have been accentuating the guitars but it is nice to hear some incredible drums that are loud and aggressive. The guitar work on this album is very technical and every bit as outstanding as the drum work. As far as vocals, they are like the previous album, raw and brutal.
The album starts out great with “Vultures,” its violent nature really sets the tone for the rest of the album. “Vultures “ starts with some stand-alone lyrics and then “BAM” like a punch in the face, the drums start to speed bag your face! There are several stand out tracks on this album but three of the more memorable ones are “Gethsemane,” “Vows (I Must Decrease),” and “Vows (He Must Increase).” “Gethsemane” starts mean and nasty with some great guitar work, and then leads into some heavy drums and chaotic sounding riffs, and ends with repeated gang chants of “There can be no redemption without the shedding of blood.” Both “Vows” songs do an amazing job of starting out soft and gradually get heavier, heavier, and then got crazy once they hit their crescendo. These songs do an excellent job of showing the songwriting ability and musicianship of Wrench in the Works. “Vows (I Must Decrease)” is an extremely short track but gets to the whole premise of the album with repeated chants of “I must decrease so that He may increase” and then ending with “die to myself so that I may truly live.”
The only problem I had with the album that it is extremely short. It has 11 songs and does not even reach 30 minutes of playtime. Of those 11 songs, not even half of them are over 3 minutes long. However, as short as it is there are no filler tracks on Decrease/Increase.
Overall: this album will leave you begging for more! The aggressive and violent instrument play lends to the chaotic nature of the entire album and truly gives Wrench in the Works something that every strives for but few find, “Unique Sound.” If you were a fan of Lost Art of Heaping Coal then you will love this album. I would think any fan of Advent or heavy dark metalcore would enjoy this album.