RAZE – exclusive track by track breakdown feature of new album – Pyrography
Fast rising Brit grunge metallers, RAZE (https://www.facebook.com/razebandofficial ), will release their superb debut album, Pyrography, through all major platforms on Friday 28th July, via One Eyed Toad Records. With that in mind, we exclusively spoke to the band and asked them for this unique track by track breakdown of the album:
“Maple
This song is a behemoth – clocking in as the longest on the album, this is where we get a chance to flex our songwriting skills and draw on all of our influences collectively.
Throughout ‘Maple’s six-minute runtime we filter through cascading clean guitars, technical riffing, soaring choruses and a brutal breakdown. I think if you want to get to know Raze, this is the track to listen to. The message of the song is one of positivity – following the passing of someone close to the band through suicide, we want to spread the message that you can always reach out your hand for help, and someone will be there to take it and pull you up.
Better Off Alone
The first single from the album, ‘Better Off Alone’ was also the first written. The product of a songwriting jam, the song’s ‘shotgun’ motif quickly took a hold and developed into a heavy, groovy metal tune. This marked the inclusion of more metallic elements in our previously grunge-led sound. Lyrically the song explores the line between self-sacrifice and misguided good intentions; describing one person’s rejection and subsequent fall to darkness after selling their soul to save another.
Roachman
‘Roachman’ tells the tongue-in-cheek tale of a young man on a night out who (through a sequence of unfortunate events) transforms into the horrific Roachman. Featuring high energy chorus and verse sections, this song is definitely a pit-starter – juxtaposed by an expensive ‘transformation bridge section.
Pyrography
‘Pyrography’ announces the band and proclaims our mission – harnessing the flame and fire of our emotions to create art, in the form of music. The clean riff in this song was originally envisioned as a brief minute-or-so introduction (under the working title of ‘Intro Deluxe’) – however we decided we liked it so much, it had be a full song. As the final song written for the album, ‘Pyrography’ was born.
- exigua
‘C. exigua’ – the actual, real life creature – is a parasite. Living underwater, it enters the gills of a fish and works its way to the mouth, before biting off the fish’s tongue and replacing it. We took this grisly concept as a metaphor for speaking your own thoughts, and not allowing others to dictate them for you. Musically this has translated into a driving number, with a second half carried by torrential lead guitar work.
W.B.C
‘W.B.C’ is a riffy, rantic mosh-pit starter.
A level of tension persists throughout the song, not letting up from the first riff, through the frantic guitar solo to the very end. When recording the solo we attempted a few variations of a pre-written playthrough (as with the rest of the songs) before settling on the noisy, improvised beast in the song today.
…Again?
This song is a grungy one, drawing on the vocal stylings and blues-inspired riffage of the likes of Alice In Chains and Soundgarden, with one added element – the guitar dual. Here Dan and Jack get to flex proverbial muscles in a good old-fashioned back-and-forth.
Mellow // Breeze
‘Mellow // Breeze’ is the gentle, intimate track of the LP. Featuring intricate clean guitar arrangements and nuanced songwriting, the song splits into two sections – ‘Mellow’ and ‘Breeze’. Despite the two names beginning as an in-joke (referencing a fictional ‘Mellow Breeze’ guitar pedal); they encapsulate the feel of the song perfectly.
Blue-Sky Vengeance
‘Blue-Sky Vengeance’ is the heaviest track on the album. Here we tune down to drop B (everything else is in drop D) for some punishing riffage – before compelling lead guitar work and vocal harmony give way to a fretless bass solo in the bridge. Set in a post-apocalyptic future, the song’s lyrical content explores the ethical dilemma of the future of a destructive human race.”
For more on the band, see – https://linktr.ee/razebandofficial