Blighted Eye - Wretched (2020)

Newcomers Blighted Eye are ready to take the North American scene by storm with their very crafty debut EP “Wretched”. Unleashing over 27 minutes of high-octane, progressive/melodic Death Metal with additional influences, the band delivers four very well crafted songs that nicely balance both technical proficiency and killer songwriting chops. If you are into bands like Sculptured, you cannot afford to miss this release.

Opening with the intense guitars of “Contempt”, this band sets a very energetic and firm pace. This track features crafty tempo changes, killer intense passages and overall excellent musicianship, showing a bit of a Tech Death Metal influence but with proggy ambitions. As “Respite” follows the intense opener, the band’s more proggy influences are heard, reminding us a bit of mid-period Opeth with some killer guitar leads added.

The band is not shy of showcasing ferocity as well, as most tracks, including “Relent” deliver quite heavy passages filled with intricate drum patterns and a crushing bass guitar line that is quite vibrant and present throughout the release. The vocals in this track actually hit some Black Metal-ish territories at times, creating an additional layer to the band’s already unique and complex sound.

Closing with the more mysterious and even Doomy at times title track, the band makes sure to showcase their full range of styles and influences in a very intense and engaging track. Overall, “Wretched” is one hell of a masterfully crafted EP that takes a while to reveal its unique identity. Blighted Eye’s music is quite diverse, making it a very unique and engaging listening experience, if you like melodic/proggy Extreme Metal, this release will blow your socks off.

Label: Self-Released

Release: October 30th, 2020

Genre: Progressive Extreme Metal

Country: USA