WHEN EVERYTHING GOES BAD, WRONGLER DOES GOOD WITH THEIR NEWEST SONG “PORTRAIT IN A BLEEDING MIRROR”

A common thread in metal is the narrative of survival: confronting inner demons, enduring hardship, and ultimately clawing your way back into the light. But what if the story runs in reverse? What if you had everything, only to watch it all unravel? What happens when love curdles into hate, when hope collapses into despair?

That’s the question Finnish five-piece melodic metal band Wrongler wrestles with on their latest single, “Portrait in a Bleeding Mirror.” Sonically massive yet immaculately precise, the track reflects its lyrical weight with equally punishing soundscapes. Frontman Henri Siika-aho’s anguished delivery cuts through layers of crushing guitars and brooding rhythms, creating a visceral sense of collapse that feels both intimate and overwhelming. While the riffs and grooves make the song undeniably infectious, the emotional resonance lingers longer than any hook, overshadowing fleeting moments of optimism.

Still, “Portrait in a Bleeding Mirror” isn’t a dirge. Rather than dragging listeners into despair, it serves as a vehicle for storytelling—an invitation to inhabit the band’s grief, if only for a few minutes. It’s immersive, raw, and cathartic without pandering to false hope.

With a sound rooted in the Nordic melodic death metal tradition, Wrongler channels the icy precision and emotive weight of acts like Soilwork and modern In Flames. Their latest track may tell a story of hope dissolving into ruin, but it also proves their ability to transform pain into something extraordinary.