Wretched - Radiance (Teaser)

Buy here: http://www.metalblade.com/wretched "RADIANCE is a chapter in our story in which the possessed body and mind of our main character Malus is used by the ancient Necromancer to lure his sibling into his new found lair within Terra Mortuorum. A “land of the dead”. Within the veins of this mountainous lair in which his sister Fragoré has been conjured, the attack begins and the talisman she holds in place of a heart is extracted and fused with Malus’ own. To me, this track represents someone feeling weak and doing everything they can, good or bad, to prove to themselves that they ultimately could do whatever act is in question. Unfortunately in this portion of the story it pertains to the “doing something bad” aspect. And in ones mind, after the fact, they face the truth of what they’ve done and realize what such an action truly took away from them. What it took away from their soul if you will. In the end, the moral of the story is to accept yourself, keep your head, stay focused and do what you know to be right, not what is easy to let yourself do." For the last two years, Charlotte, North Carolina’s lauded metal monsters @WRETCHEDNC worked on the songs that would populate their long-awaited fifth full-length, "Decay." Set for release on October 17, 2025 on Metal Blade Records, the result is a conceptual masterpiece that blends haunting melodies with progressive complexity. Billy Powers – vocals Steven Funderburk – guitars Andrew Grevey – bass Marshall Wieczorek – drums IV: RADIANCE I will cradle me into a bed of thorns. Cater to my inner carnal needs. Inside of the darkest hole I am yours. //// Crown me your god, Fragoré. Thou stuck like a little pig. Don’t I look a bit atrocious as I sever you limb from limb? Payment is crucial my dear. I apologize it has come to this yet I must claim a relic. I must claim your stone. //// Born of radiance. Born of the purest star. Born of radiance. Born of the purest star. //// Tearing in, I am almost to it. Ribs cracking like little twigs. Grabbing the sternum, ripping it out of sight. Working my fingers through the flesh, the protector from such prying hands. I will not be hindered! I will show my might! //// Born of radiance. Born of the purest star. Born of radiance. Born of the purest star. //// Curling around the present, this surely must be a dream. I have become the One. The Four have now become the Three. //// The Light has been gleaned. ——————————————————————————————————————— There lied Fragoré, splayed before him. An indistinguishable horror. The ironed grin upon his lips began to loosen as Malus backed away in terror. The realization of this act was filling his mind and forcing it to clarity. Just as the tears began to fill his eyes, a sharp and high screeching pain echoed from the back of his skull. “TAKE IT! TAKE IT NOW YOU FOOL!” the Anti-Man commanded, his words reverberating into the darkness of the mountain. Malus only dared to do as was told. //// Dragging his feet across the floor, the pain of every step became more unbearable as he drew closer to the lone torso. He faced straight ahead as the tears finally fell, mixing with her blood as soon as his blinks severed them from his welling eyes. Then he began to see it. The glow through the haze. The glow from her chest cavity. Quite warming, gradually intensifying as he stood above. His anguish quickly became deeply buried in lust. A lust for pain. A lust for power. The lust for that delicious golden glow. //// Salivating, Malus clutched onto the stone that was once protected by flesh and bone. Placing the glowing talisman to his own chest, his body began to absorb it. The talisman of Fragoré becoming one with his own. “This power. This overwhelmingly unforgiving power” Malus thought, clutching himself once the fusion was complete. He blindly began to walk deep into the darkness. Lux was calling. //// Out of that darkness, down the front steps of Semita and onto the Terra, the obelisk had begun to glow. Winds sifted through the dirt while a looming shadow spread as the land within the mountain crown began to tremble. https://www.wretchedmusic.com https://www.instagram.com/wretchednc https://www.facebook.com/wretchednc https://x.com/WretchedNC https://www.youtube.com/wretchednc