Band:	Warbringer
Album:	Wrath And Ruin
Style:	Thrash metal
Release date:	March 14, 2025
A review by:	omne metallum

Disc I
01. The Sword And The Cross
02. A Better World
03. Neuromancer
04. The Jackhammer
05. Through A Glass, Darkly
06. Strike From The Sky
07. Cage Of Air
08. The Last Of My Kind

Disc II [Ravaging Europe 2023]
01. Firepower Kills [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
02. The Black Hand Reaches Out [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
03. Crushed Beneath The Tracks [Live In Nantes, France - April 20th, 2023]
04. Living Weapon [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
05. Woe To The Vanquished [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
06. Living In A Whirlwind [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
07. Guitar Solo/ Outer Reaches [Live In Nantes, France - April 20th, 2023]
08. Shellfire [Live In Munich, Germany - April 5th, 2023]
09. Descending Blade [Live In Krakow, Poland - April 4th, 2023]
10. Hunter-Seeker [Live In Krakow, Poland - April 4th, 2023]
11. Defiance Of Fate [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
12. Silhouettes [Live In Nantes, France - April 20th, 2023]
13. Remain Violent [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
14. Combat Shock [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]
15. Total War [Live In Budapest, Hungary - April 7th, 2023]

Hey, they stole the title from Amber Heard's biography.

Often the bridesmaid and never the bride of the thrash renaissance movement, Warbringer have lived up to their moniker and continuously brought an aural assault to all who stand in front of their tracks. Their seventh tour de force, Wrath And Ruin, sees the band mature their sound and move beyond mere frontal thrash attacks, adapting to new tactics in sonic warfare to help conquer anyone yet to call themselves a fan. The level of ambition is evident from the opening track; this is not the same Warbringer that put out Worlds Torn Asunder. Instead, this is a band who has evolved and levelled up their ambition, with Wrath And Ruin matching this with a quality that combines to make for a great album.

Far from having forgotten their roots, Warbringer blend their new expansive sound with their hard hitting up-tempo style, be it the out-and-out unyielding thrash of (the pure nihilistic anthem that would have Nietzsche ask if they were ok) "A Better World" or the battering "Strike From The Sky". What sets Wrath And Ruin apart from the rest of the band's work are decisions to do things differently, be it Becker and Carroll's choice to switch up the guitar solo on "The Sword And The Cross" from just another shred fest to one that utilises so much whammy bar that Kirk Hammett would blush, to "Cage Of Air" going from full-tilt thrash to throwing in a groove section, before completely changing gear with an atmospheric break, all the while weaving these sounds together in a way that makes total sonic sense.

Warbringer themselves sound like they have upped their game, not only in the songwriting department, but also in their individual performances. While Kevill has drawn criticism of his rigid vocal approach in the past, it's the small tweaks on tracks like "Neuromancer" as he plays with the inflection of the lyrics that makes a big difference. The biggest impact, however, is reserved for Carroll and Becker, who seem just as confident with the riff-a-minute "The Jackhammer" as they are with the bombastic grandiosity of the closing "The Last Of My Kind".

While the band's ambition is matched by their performance and songwriting nous, Wrath And Ruin does see the band over extend themselves, namely on "Through The Glass, Darkly". Aiming for an atmospheric, mid-tempo mini-epic, the band end up with a track that is lacking the magic touch that is infused across the rest of the album, to the point of being entirely skippable. While the closing two tracks show they can add in a sense of brooding, a whole track is a step too far.

Even as a fan of the band and enjoyer of their last outing Weapons Of Tomorrow, Wrath And Ruin surprises me with the jump in quality that Warbringer display across the album. An early highlight of the year and definitely a highpoint in an already strong discography, Warbringer take things to the next level.