Kerrang! share exclusive: Stream the new album by LA’s The Wraith after bassist Paul Rogers explains the real-life trials behind the punk scene today.
When I first started playing punk back in rural Forest of Dean, England, I had only the vaguest notion of what being in a band in distant Los Angeles might be like. But I probably assumed it would be glamorous, endlessly exciting, and maybe even lucrative. Today, I’m bassist for LA punk band The Wraith. Our debut album Gloom Ballet will be released by Southern Lord Recordings on November 29. And the reality of life in a punk band in 2019 — or at least our reality — is quite different.
First, some background on us: The Wraith was founded by singer Davey Bales (formerly of Lost Tribe and Shadow Age) and guitarist Kaz Alvis in 2016. They self-released the Shadow Flag EP the following year, which became something of an underground sensation. I joined the band last summer, and by fall — on the strength of the EP and our frenetic live shows – we were recording our debut album in North Hollywood with producer and Puscifer guitarist Mat Mitchell.
After shopping the record around, we found a supportive home for it on Southern Lord and are now preparing for its release and the accompanying touring. Drummer Scott Raynor (formerly of blink-182), who’d been in the band before me, re-joined in July. The Wraith has variously been described as ‘dark punk,’ ‘deathrock,’ and ‘post-punk,’ influenced by the likes of Death Cult, Killing Joke, T.S.O.L., and the Chameleons.
Now, on to the realities of our lives: The first challenge for most LA bands is simply the logistics of getting everyone into the same room at the same time. The city is huge, over 500 square miles; traffic is famously nightmarish; and public transport is patchy. Davey and I, for example, live 40 miles apart, so just scheduling practices can be a headache. I’ve sometimes spent more than three hours traveling for a one-hour rehearsal. For this reason, we almost never just hang out — all of our time together is spent on the creation and performance of music.
Gloom Ballet Track List:
1. Ballad Of Aeon
3. Prevail
4. Toil
5. Of The Earth
6. Pyro
7. Piano Interlude
8. Devil’s Serenade
9. I Expire
10. Gift Of Suffering
11. Barbed Wire Somber
12. Cannot Die
The Wraith are:
Kaz Alvis – guitar/vocals
Davey Bales – vocals
Scott Raynor – drums
Paul Rogers – bass/vocals