Mere years ago, I may have raised an eyebrow at Wraithstorm’s decision to shed their debut’s shroud of funeral doom in favor of a glossy coating of caffeinated melodic death metal. This is no longer the case, and not just because I’m an older, wiser Eldritch who better understands that bands live and die by the fulfillment of their members’ creative impulses. Between Lux Edwards’ Soulmass pivoting to traditional death metal and Alicia Cordisco’s solo project dropping black metal and gothic power metal LPs six months apart, the principal members of Wraithstorm routinely refute stylistic stagnation as proven masters of virtually any style of metal. It’s no surprise, then, that Revenant’s sheer vitality evaporated any remaining uncertainty I held in record time. Wraithstorm 2.0 feels like such a natural culmination of its members’ influences that I’m only left wondering how it took so long for their inaugural foray into melodeath to manifest.
Wraithstorm opens Revenant in one of the most effective ways known to modern society: With hella fuckin’ riffs. “Automaton,” the riff delivery machine in question, offers no pretense for the record’s intention of delivering meaty melodeath like it’s 1999 in Gothenburg. Revenant owes much to In Flames and Dark Tranquillity, but unlike the majority of their contemporaries who settle for an approximate imitation, Wraithstorm is the realest deal. The band recognizes that the classics from that scene were breathtaking through their interplay of melody and aggression, and Cordisco’s singular guitar style feels purpose-built to recapture their legacy. Her leads, at once playful, invigorating, and bittersweet, translate perfectly to this project from her considerable experience in Judicator. The resulting songs are emotionally authentic, completely addictive, and immediately unforgettable.
Revenant is initially so thrillingly fast that its back-ish half, from “Indifferent Stars” onward, admittedly feels a bit disappointing on first listen. These songs are exclusively mid-paced (oftentimes decelerating into doom territory), with melody and groove prioritized over all else. But I’ll be damned if the B-side isn’t home to some of Wraithstorm’s most compelling material, and after revising my expectations for subsequent spins, these songs feel like the clearest expressions of the band’s vision. “Everybody’s Gone” is especially worthy of flowers for the way its tense, atmospheric verses majestically blossom into towering, cathartic refrains. I’m not completely sold on Wraithstorm’s decision to entirely excise speed from Revenant’s final act, but I’ll acknowledge that its pacing feels thematically intentional in a way melodeath records rarely do.
On top of being stylistically on-point, Revenant absolutely sounds the part. Engineer (and drummer) Michael Goodrich understands that the rhythm section needs to feel massive to effectively counterbalance Wraithstorm’s sparkling lead guitars, and the result is an explosive soundscape with plenty of room made for Leona Hayward’s (Owlbear, Trangressive) bass work to shake Revenant’s bedrock. Goodrich is excellent behind the kit as well, offering plenty of the brain-tickling kick and cymbal patterns that I crave from extreme metal. Edwards’ harsh vocals, meanwhile, exhibit a notable step up in intensity and clarity from their work in Soulmass, but their oft-present baritone clean vocals are the best kind of surprise. The arresting richness of Edwards’ cleans makes Revenant all the more distinct, its elements culminating in a deliciously bombastic experience. I do wish that Cordisco’s leads sounded more full and forward in the mix at times, but perhaps bringing them to the forefront would have imbalanced Goodrich’s near-perfect formula.
I’ve listened to almost every record that Edwards and Cordisco have played on, and I’m confident in saying that Revenant is one of the best records in either of their catalogues. It’s so good, in fact, that even Wraithstorm’s cover of Opeth’s “The Amen Corner” feels like an essential part of the overall package, despite my initial trepidation at the band covering one of metal’s most prestigious artists (and a track from my favorite of their albums, no less). Wraithstorm unquestionably belongs in the upper echelon of modern melodeath, especially in the sub-subgenre of bands taking inspiration from the Swedish titans of olde. I hope to see Wraithstorm eventually follow this record with one that better balances velocity with introspective composition, but as Revenant is remarkably impressive for an album arriving in the wake of a significant genre shift, I’ll happily anticipate whatever comes next on their terms.
Rating: Great
DR: 7 | Format Reviewed: WAV
Label: Fiadh Productions
Websites: wraithstormmetal.bsky.social | wraithstorm.bandcamp.com
Releases Worldwide: October 2nd, 2026
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