[photo by Michelle Shiers]
Los Angeles-based dark punk crew THE WRAITH presents a new video from their debut album, Gloom Ballet, which saw worldwide release through Southern Lord in late November. The new visual accompaniment to the track “Ballad Of Aeon” has been premiered through an exclusive at Decibel Magazine.
THE WRAITH‘s post-apocalyptic Gloom Ballet was recorded by Puscifer guitarist/producer Mat Mitchell, mastered at Audiosiege by Brad Boatright (From Ashes Rise, Tragedy, Alaric), completed with artwork by Rebecca Sauve.
“We wanted to work with videographer Michael Kallio again because he did such an amazing job with our ‘Barbed Wire Somber’ video a couple of years ago,” the band offers on the “Ballad Of Aeon” video. “The apocalyptic imagery in the video marries references to ‘Ballad of Aeon’s’ refrain (‘A thousand years, Dark centuries’) to more topical concerns. The performance footage was shot in a disused L.A. storefront that was being used as storage space (and, by the looks of it, as some sort of nocturnal drug den). Among the stuff being stored there was Cher’s dressing room mirror from one of her Las Vegas residencies, which the band was happy to use. Lighting equipment used for the shoot included leftovers from E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial. As THE WRAITH was between drummers at the time of the shoot, a mystery stand-in was used.”
Decibel writes, “LA-based renegade death punks THE WRAITH released their debut album last November, and the record continues to reap in new listeners, leveled by the band’s blend of dark post-punk and early Los Angeles deathrock like 45 Grave, T.S.O.L… Gloom Ballet counts twelve tracks of THE WRAITH‘s undeniably catchy energetic gloom… Check out this video, then do what we did, and immediately get into THE WRAITH.”
See THE WRAITH’s “Ballad Of Aeon” video at Decibel Magazine RIGHT HERE.
Gloom Ballet is available worldwide via Southern Lord Recordings at the label webshop HERE, Bandcamp HERE, and through all digital retailers. Also see the previously released “Wing Of Night” video HERE.
THE WRAITH has several shows booked for the coming weeks, including a Phantoms book launch afterparty in Los Angeles February 22nd, and a show with Change Today and Detoxi in Ventura on February 29th. The first week of March sees them playing back-to-back shows in Los Angeles, at the Five Star Bar with Radolescents and Stalag 13 on the 6th and at the Viber Room with TSOL and Decry on the 7th. Watch for additional tour dates to be announced over the weeks ahead.
THE WRAITH Live:
2/22/2020 The Monty – Los Angeles, CA w/ Fat and Fucked Up, Gitane Demone Quarter, Kommunity FK, Only Theatre Of Pain, Witness, Snowsnake Orchestra
2/29/2020 Hong Kong Inn – Ventura, CA w/ Change Today, Detoxi
3/06/2020 Five Star Bar – Los Angeles, CA w/ Radolescents, Stalag 13
3/07/2020 Viper Room – Los Angeles, CA w/ TSOL, Decry
THE WRAITH‘s Gloom Ballet has been receiving rave reviews worldwide and, appeared on over a dozen Best of 2019 lists including those of Ozzy Osbourne bassist Blasko and revered punk author Ian Glasper. Gloom Ballet is the first deathrock record to be released by Southern Lord Recordings. “Southern Lord owner Greg Anderson has been amazing to work with, and we really appreciate his willingness to incorporate a different sound into his roster,” said guitarist Kaz Alvis.
Infused with ’80s UK post-punk (Death Cult, Killing Joke, Chameleons) and SoCal deathrock (T.S.O.L., Samhain), THE WRAITH was founded by imposing frontman Davey Bales, formerly of apocalyptic Virginia punks Lost Tribe, and Alvis shortly after they separately washed up in L.A. in 2016. Their irresistibly distinctive sound – skeletal basslines and tribal beats propelling Alvis’ textured swathes beneath Bales’ poetic, anguished bark – gained an instant following, with homemade demo “Comatic Romance” racking-up thousands of YouTube views.
Convulsive West Coast shows honed the songs that became THE WRAITH‘s lauded 2017 EP, Shadow Flag. A couple of videos and lineups later – the band is now completed by Brit bassist Paul Rogers and Russian drummer Anatolii Lövochkin – their cultured songwriting and lived-in authenticity earned the ear of Mat Mitchell, who has worked with Love and Rockets, The Flaming Lips, Meat Puppets, and more. “THE WRAITH is a flashback to many of the bands that inspired me to start making music,” said Mitchell. “Given the opportunity to work on an album with them, how could I turn it down?”
“A devilishly dark treat. 4/5” – Kerrang!
“Stunning dark punk/deathrock … a hugely captivating album. 9/10” – Vive Le Rock
“Glorious deathrock anthems” – Metal Hammer
“Stunning debut” – PopMatters
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