ALBUM REVIEW: Replica of a Strange Love – Wristmeetrazor

The chaotic, metalcore throwback style of WRISTMEETRAZOR is something you can’t help but feel an affinity for. First dangled in front of us on 2019’s Misery Never Forgets, the four piece have morphed into something grander. Of course – they’re still rough around the edges (purposefully so), but Replica Of A Strange Love captures the quartet at a junction of refined violence.

KNOCKED LOOSE guitarist Isaac Hale is partly to thank. Playing the role of producer here, the Kentucky native has sharpened the WRISTMEETRAZOR blade – without polishing it. Yes, the frenetic opening lines of Nietzsche Is Dead still sound like they’re pushing you towards insanity. But its closing, pinch breakdown couldn’t possibly have been performed to this punishing extent by the same band two years ago.

What hasn’t deviated is vocalist/bassist Justin Fornof‘s bleak view of romance. Whether he’s speaking metaphorically, or taking a more direct approach: Replica Of A Strange Love feels as much like a diary entry as it does a metalcore record. His solemn groans of “The sun died in your eyes” on the leering Love Labor’s Lost are ambiguously bitter. The sprawling screams of “Hang the corpse of our love” in front of A Fractured Dovetail Romance’s acidic breakdown cut much closer to the bone though.

Replica Of A Strange Love isn’t obsessed with sounding like POISON THE WELL. Similar to their debut, WRISTMEETRAZOR push themselves outside the box on occasion. Both 99 & 44/100 and All The Way Alive get wrapped in a peculiar, trance synth sound. Anemic‘s opening riff even sounds reminiscent of DEFTONES‘ Be Quiet And Drive.

Expectedly though, Replica Of A Strange Love is best when it’s coming for your throat. Eyes Of Sulfide has a vocal tempo switch that curdles the blood, and Sycophant almost has a melodious groove to its crushing rhythm. Producer Isaac Hale lends his talents to the world ending breakdown of Last Tango In Paris; in what might be the metal moment of the year so far, too.

The occasional delve into nu-metal tinged choruses may alienate some. While Our Distress Entwined chases the big chorus set piece, Fornof‘s visceral bark isn’t put to best use. The same can be said for This Summer’s Sorrow II: Growing Old In The Waiting Place‘s fragile tone. Dies Irae gets the balance just right however. When acting as the supporting pillar to climactic soundscapes, Justin hammers home the delivery.

Nailing a blend between modernity and nostalgia is quite a challenge. On Replica Of A Strange Love, WRISTMEETSRAZOR are up to the task. CONVERGE obsessives will find as much here to sink their teeth into here as COUNTERPARTS fans will. And though the chorus melodies sporadically stray from centre, this an emotive, gruelling, extensive metalcore record.

Rating: 8/10

Replica Of A Strange Love is set for release on June 11th via Prosthetic Records. 

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