Album Review: Sleepwraith – Day Terrors (Self Released)

Sleepwraith comes from Edmonton, Canada and the project has been incubated over the course of 20 years and five previous bands ranging from grunge to metalcore to punk rock to hardcore.

The partnership of Seedy Mitchell (guitars/vocals) and Ryan Biggs (drums) is based on a friendship that goes back to before either of them were playing music or even listening to metal. Now that partnership has developed into a dark and dynamic collaborative undertaking that sees Mitchell bringing material to the table in the form of multiple personalities (guitar, bass, vocals) and those elements being worked on together until a song is built.

Coming from different musical backgrounds, Mitchell and Biggs have found their differing styles complement each other and blend to form their brand of deep and intricate metal. Their music conveys emotion through the music but also maintains a technicality that makes it interesting to write and play, and subsequently, listen to.

Sleepwraith wants to tell stories musically and lyrically, focused primarily on creating and releasing new music and art without being concerned about playing it live. All of their energies have been pointed at that goal. With influences coming from all over the metal map including prog, death, mathcore, metalcore, and hardcore, Sleepwraith is an upcoming original band with something for all listeners. The more you listen to it, the more there is to hear.

Their debut album “Day Terrors” is slated for release on January 17, 2020.

Bringing the urgency of metalcore with the harshness of death and touches of melodic metal, The Aphelion Complex and Transorbital Decay set the bar high early. Both tracks being crunchy, riff heavy and blazing hot but with differing approaches. The latter far more melodic with clean vocals and lighter moments, albeit still focused on being heavy.

They continue that into Anamnesis, the vocals doing battle as the choppy rhythm and darkly mellow moment betray expectations. The fire and fury of tech arrives on Burial Plot, the gunfire attack of the drums turns Biomite into something much grander and Sol sees Sleepwraith get really filthy with their riffs.

The deeper we head into the dimension that Sleepwraith inhabit, there’s no escaping just how layered and sonically pleasing it all is. Their ability to go from furious and meaty death-infused metal to bleak melodies and thumping rhythm is second to none.

The highlight of the album coming in the form of Carnival Dread, thanks to its frantic bursts. Although the following sharp squeals of guitar licks on A Demon’s Pawn and the Abyss comes close.

Coming to an end, the cleverly titled double of The Vile, Raptured and The Vile Raptured (the difference a comma makes) sees Sleepwraith remain at full strength. The former is a snarling 2 minutes while the latter is as beastly as Sleepwraith’s metal comes.

Dystory serves as the album closer, bringing raining metal down in the band’s impressive furious style. A satisfying finish.

Sleepwraith – Day Terrors Full Track Listing:

1. The Aphelion Complex
2. Transorbital Decay
3. Anamnesis
4. Burial Plot
5. Biomite
6. Sol
7. Carnival Dread
8. A Demon’s Pawn and the Abyss
9. The Vile, Raptured
10. The Vile Raptured
11. Dystory

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