The Wraiths drummer reflects on his experiences in the band in his new book
Emerging from a pit of sadness and despair, Middlesbrough band Wraiths forged their own form of self-styled ‘hell metal’, drawing on influences from Black Sabbath to Acacia Strain in order to portray some of the darkest recesses of human consciousness. Fusing together a raging maelstrom of formidable and unforgiving riffs, the likes of their 2012 EP provided intense shockwaves of full-blooded doom rock.
Now, former drummer Richard Baker has reflected on his experiences as part of the band to bring his first book, Vagabonds, to fruition. It’s a gritty collection of true stories from his time in Wraiths, as they took their visceral and raucous shows on tour across the UK. The anthology documents some of the realities of life on the road as a band grasping for success, from sleeping on floors and bathing in swimming pools to arguing with promoters to get paid. This is a first-hand look at what it’s really like to be a band with big dreams on the road.
