Track By Tracks: The Wring - Nemesis (2024)

The album as a whole (Lyrically and Musically):

A nemesis is defined as a long-standing enemy and/or an inescapable agent of one’s downfall. Society’s individuals are buffeted constantly on all sides and internally by such forces, sometimes real, sometimes imagined. It seems that every human interaction now is adversarial. “Monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground…They fight till they die” (Tool – ‘Right in Two” – 10,000 Days). The lyrics reflect my feelings on these things. Musically, I have no constraint so I write what I like, and I combine seemingly unrelated styles. Ever since I heard Hocus Pocus by Focus, I have been fascinated and obsessed with playing jazz chords in a hard rock/metal format. I think it adds so much depth and interest. I also build parts around jazz progressions which do the same and then intersperse super heavy metal parts to really let the songs bloom!

Track by track (Lyrically and Musically)

1. Badlands:

Bad behavior of major media outlets has given rise to powerful lower tier/social media that operate without any requirement for truth or decency; conflicting accounts, conspiracy theories, assertions without proof but presented as fact. It’s everywhere, but most obvious in the USA where almost every issue is dramatically polarized. Even the average semi-intelligent person doesn’t really know what to believe anymore. Musically, Badlands starts with a crushing bass riff leading into an angular verse and a very metal pre-chorus. The chorus is open and singable. I love the solo. It’s got some Lydian forms which has a ‘crooked major’ jazzy kind of vibe. Fun to play.

2. The Nail:

The rise of populism in politics combined with the power of social media has given a platform to a wide base of groups with extreme views. These groups previously operated on the fringes of society but figureheads like Trump have validated their ideas and subsequent actions, giving rise to insurrection and a general disrespect previously unseen. What they don’t understand is that they are just tools of megalomaniacs – they are the nail, not the hammer. And we are truly watching the end of all decency. The music here is all over the place. Some tried and true metal parts with another somewhat jazzy solo break – more in the chords than the notes. Another singable chorus but it goes to an odd time in the second half with Reggie starting on different beats each iteration. Fun stuff.

2. The Sword:

The most ‘metal’ song and theme. If you live by the sword, you will die the same… I played this on a Dave Mustaine old-school Jackson King V for some historical vibe as well as tightness in attack. I also changed picks for the main riff… I almost exclusively use the Dunlop Malmsteen now (though I modify each one to have a sharper tip) but for this song, I used the Dunlop Jeff Loomis, which is thick, very stiff, and has a sharp point. It was important to get the proper string tone and attack. Weird how these things make such a difference.

3. Before I Disappear:

At a certain point in everyone’s life, each of us will start to think about mortality and legacy. I certainly don’t dwell on these things, but I have a son who is now a young adult, and we are very close, so I often think about the overlap of the contexts of our lives. A proper moral compass is the best I can do, and the song is about that. The music has a very major feel and is the most ‘pop’ of any Wring song, which I balance out with a very evil-sounding pre-chorus. The solo starts out somewhat Skynyrd-esque but, of course, ends on the dark side of the street.

4. Welshrats:

Weltschmerz (or the Americanized version – Welshrats) is a term from John Steinbeck’s ‘East of Eden’ and is loosely interpreted as a vague sense of sadness that can’t really be traced to a specific event. The song is about dealing with that – trying to understand it and come out the other side. I listen to a wide variety of music for inspiration, and I think this one came out of a Steely Dan phase with a Slayer/Lamb of God pre-chorus thrown in, just to scare off the yacht rockers…

5. Dark Passenger:

A simple critique of humanity’s almost complete disregard for our planet and each other. ‘Dark Passenger’ came from the TV show ‘Dexter’; the title character’s ‘dark passenger’ was the personification of what drives him to kill. We are the earth’s dark passenger. We have poisoned our planet and each other and we are all facing existential crisis, though are still, for the most part, oblivious. Musically, this song drifts among genres with some straight-ahead rock riffs, dreamy arpeggios, and odd-time breakdowns. The solo is short but one of my favorites. Tricky and fun to play.

6. Nemesis:

Believe it or not, this is a breakup song. The song tries to examine the physiology and psychology of a tough separation. We’ve all had at least one nemesis moment. Like most of the songs on ‘Side 2’, it features a wide palette of musical styles with jazzy progressions mixed with distinctly metal riffing and a dissonant solo section. I particularly like the chorus, musically as well as lyrically. A very minor progression that I find heart-wrenching with words that complement that, delivered emotionally by Reggie.