Wrong

Coming out of Miami, Wrong rose from the ashes of hardcore/punk band Capsule, who released a couple of great albums, including their self-titled record and Blue, before calling it quits. Well, Eric Hernandez (guitars and vocals) bounced back brilliantly, forming the new band, with the inclusion of Ryan Haft (previously of Torche) on guitars, Andres Ascanio on bass and Brian Hernandez on drums. Not long after, Wrong released their fist, self-released EP, Stop Giving introducing their sonic identity and then signing with Relapse Records to get their debut album released.

Wrong follow a great tradition of hardcore bands, that are not contempt with staying rooted on the safe side of the genre. That is just releasing fast, aggressive tracks, with an old-school vibe. Of course that aspect is still there, and Wrong pay tribute to this movement, with the start of the opening tack oozing with this hostility, while the groove of “Tune In” and “Read” definitely have something of the East side groove. And sure, things can get even heavier, with Wrong stepping towards a more solid form, unleashing slower parts with gigantic riffs making the ground beneath shake. That couples great with the groove that the band transmits, with “Mucilage” and “Wrong” being perfect examples of their capacity to produce towards that result.

However, it is no surprise that Wrong consider themselves more part of the noise rock scene than the hardcore domain. The punk style might be smeared all over their works, but the noise and experimental progression of the music points to a different direction. The guitars are key in this appearance of the band, radiating with dissonance and appearing in a striking reversed progression (no-wave comes to mind,) which causes a good deal of disorientation. The lead work enhances that point, as it compliments the main hardcore centre of the album, giving a more volatile edge to the record.

What is even more striking is the band's ability to channel through a number of different modes in the album. It is not just hardcore and noise that are in the mix here. The band travels as easily to uncharted territories, bringing in a '90s grunge sensitivity at times, and a general heavy, alternative metal scope. “Entourage” is such a moment, with the cleaner vocals and more ethereal aspect of the sound coming to the front, while the groove of “Stasis” sees the vision of the band shifting towards the heavier side of the '90s Seattle scene. It can even go as far to appear almost dreamlike with some sonic explorations, especially in the closing track of the album, “High Chair.”

The debut album of Wrong is a chaotic record. Not only in terms of its aggression and volatility, but also in its ability to transverse seamlessly between different sonic territories. Bands like Unsane come to mind when listening to this album, and that is no coincidence, as Wrong are also able to retain that raw vibe, that gruesome characteristic, but also give more depth and meaning to their vision.

8.2 / 10 — Spyros Stasis