Album Review: Dystrophy – Wretched Host

Making their way out of New Jersey, the five-member band Dystrophy have self released their second LP titled Wretched Host. The group is composed by Greg Bueno on vocals and bass, Peter Brown on guitar, Peter Lloyd on guitar, and Matt Thompson on drums. Benjamin Karas from Windfaerer and Thank You Scientist was featured as a guest for Dystrophy on electric violin for two tracks.

The opening track titled “Apex” begins with a combination of guitar notes, the sound of whispering winds and a violin that will raise the hair on the back of your neck. The first few seconds do not prepare you for what this group of musicians have put together. “Apex” was successful in introducing the entire album in that manner. The rest of the song is in-your-face and demands to be heard. The growling vocals, precision drumming, guitars and bass want nothing less than your full attention.

“Singularity” is the second track from the album and in the same method as its predecessor, it creates an audial experience with its haunting guitars. The quintet put together an experiment of sounds with this song. It is fast and slow, unpredictable and has made the death metal genre proud.

Thompson, drummer for Dystrophy opens the title track with an exciting combination of percussion notes that brings in all the other instruments for Wretched Host on a perfect canvas. The guitarists bring in the sounds that balance the distinct percussion and balance out the vocals. Throughout the song the band experiments with jarring instrumentalization and Bueno holds his own amidst the riot of his bandmates.

“Nadir” is the title of the final tune for Wretched Host. The song starts off with some repetition in the music writing but as it progresses there is a shift that makes it worth it. Right when you think it’s over, “Nadir” comes to a complete halt and offers a melodic intermission.  It urges you to want more of this mystery it is creating. “Nadir” was crafted to be different and it becomes the favorite track from Wretched Host.