Wrench In The Works - Decrease/Increase

Artist: Wrench In The Works
Album: Decrease/Increase
Release Date: 3/16/10
Label: Facedown Records

Explosive, heavy, brutal, chaotic. These are all words to use when describing the newest release from Wrench In The Works, Decrease/Increase. From the beginning chaos of "Vultures" to the closing strains of "Vows (He Must Increase)," Decrease/Increase is, with the exception of a few places, a half-hour, non-stop assault on your hearing.

I liked Wrench In The Works' last album The Lost Art of Heaping Coal, but this is a huge progression ahead of that album. The most noticeable improvements are the drumming and production. The drumming is very much in the forefront of the album and happens to be, in my opinion, the highlight. The blast beats, rapid fire double bass and creative fills are all perfectly placed and executed. The drumming also does a lot to accentuate the technical guitar riffs. This creates a chaotic sound that is more about technicality and time signatures than the sloppy noise a lot of bands try to pass off as chaotic.

The production of the album is flawless. Every instrument is clear and fits in well with the mix. The vocals, which are raw, raspy screams, only add to the sound that Wrench In The Works create. Some of the highlights are "Project AK-47," a song about the enslavement of child soldiers. Both of the "Vows" songs, with the first being very short and featuring chanting vocals and the last which is over five minutes long and builds into a crescendo before calming down. The spoken word sequence by Levi The Poet in "A Desert Voice" serves as a nice, brief respite to the brutality that only adds depth to the song.

Rating: 8/10 With Decrease/Increase, Wrench In The Works have created a brutally chaotic album. They also tighten and improve on the sound that was hinted at on their last album. Decrease/Increase was a pleasant surprise and should help them win over quite a few new fans.

Reviewed by Matthew Alexander

Tracklisting:

1. Vultures
2. Project AK-47
3. A Desert Voice
4. Pocket Watch
5. Deathslayer
6. Gethsemane
7. Hearts and Masks
8. Vows (I Must Increase)
9. Purge The Creep
10. Walk Amongst The Tombstones
11. Vows (He Must Increase)

(Buy Here)