Based in the outskirts of Chicago, Wounds emerged on the tech death scene in 2006. After a period of refinement and evolution, the band have just released their debut full-length album Ruin in early 2024, under Everlasting Spew Records, following up from their introductory EP, Light Eater.
Franco Caballero, the bass player, spoke about his choice of equipment for their latest album. “I used a 1981 Aria Pro II SB-900 on this record. I absolutely love this bass and use it extensively with Wounds. It has everything I need from a bass and nothing more. The neck taper is interesting, The bass has been slightly modified to split the passive pickups individually, but other than that it is bone stock. Did I say that I love this bass? Because I love this bass.”
Discussing further about the gear, Caballero elaborated on the amplification and effects used during the recording of Ruin. “I recorded ‘Ruin’ using my live tone and mixed in a bit of DI to help with transient response that may help with some of the inherent harshness of my tone. I’m pretty straightforward with my amplification choices in that I use an Ampeg 410-E from the early 90s (no tweeter), and an Emperor 1×15 to round it out. I use a Rocktron Velocity 300 solid state power section, Darkglass B7K Ultra, and some compression to help with all the fun dynamic fluctuations that come with playing various finger styles,” he detailed.
Caballero also provided insight into the creation of bass lines for the album, which are crafted to complement the complex guitar work and drum patterns. “It all starts with the main foundation of Rick’s [Mora, drummer] killer riffs and grows from there. About half of the material is made organically and the other half is prepared and orchestrated to create a cohesive vision. I usually err on the side of letting the guitar shine and focus on being the intermediary between guitar and drums by writing parts that take both forms of instrumentation into account. My approach to writing mainly consists of backing up the guitar and breaking away to create harmonies when it seems appropriate and serving the best interest of the song,” he said.
On the thematic inspirations for Ruin, Caballero remarked, “Our songs have such varying themes that it’s hard to put a finger on anything in particular. Themes range from annihilating chicken wings, to catching some gnarly fish, to the well-explored theme of existence and personal exploration.” He hopes that the album resonates with listeners on a visceral level: “What I hope the listeners take away from listening to our latest effort is that we want them to make all the nastiest faces, be surprised by well-crafted, thoughful, and unusual transitions, and most of all an achy neck from not being able to stop rocking out with the jams!”
Ruin by Wounds is now available for purchase or streaming through Everlasting Spew Records.
