Based in Gaithersburg, Maryland, Matt Wolejsza is a musician whose musical roots can be traced back to the powerful riffs of Metallica, the band he has spent countless hours analyzing since the very first time he picked up the guitar as a child. His entire approach to songwriting reflects his fascination with the music and complex structures of thrash metal, weaving them into his own hard-hitting, rhythmic songs. Nevertheless, his musicality goes well beyond pure speed and distortion. By committing himself to developing his craft, he became part of the Baltimore songwriter community organized by Diana Hanson-Young. It was there that he honed his skills under the pressure of intense weekly assignments and constructive criticism from his peers. All of this progression of the artist came to fruition with the production of his ten-track album titled The Beast I’m Meant To Be. Even though the album was released last year, it remains just as relevant as it was the first day it was put out for public consumption. Join me as I take you through all of the reasons why.

The first few seconds of  “Stupidity gone viral” break the silence with the harsh and mechanical sounds of revving guitars and drums that beat like a fist punching the dashboard with surprising force. Instead of preparing the listener for what follows, Wolejsza uses the chaotic and fast-paced punk-thrash introduction to reflect the constant and suffocating pace of the digital world we live in today. On the lyrical level, “Stupidity gone viral” becomes an exhausted and angry condemnation of the internet culture in which everything is happening at a destructive and virus-like speed. He also mentions how people are quick to post fucked up moments just for a chance to go viral. The delivery of this lyric reflects the theme of degradation with the same breathlessness and frustration, making Wolejsza appear to be doomscrolling himself into a mental breakdown. The instrumental music is constructed with extremely sharp and frantic riffs, which symbolize the constant scrolling, creating a sense of claustrophobic inevitability, and the vocals are a poetic masterpiece that was very powerful. The message conveyed through this music is a shock to the listener’s system, expressing the digital exhaustion of humanity through the screaming frustration of online isolation.

The soundscape becomes much more ominous and confined as the album moves on to the title track, The Beast I’m Meant to be”. The song opens up with an ominous, crawling electric guitar riff that looms over the listener with a dark presence, setting the tone for a heavy, oppressive song before diving right into the crushing, mid-tempo groove. The opening riff serves as an instant dive into the subconscious, creating a setting for a brutally honest discussion about clinical depression, loneliness, and self-destruction. Through lyrics that portray the narrator as an outsider, who feels like he’s an imposter because he tried to live, he tried to love, he tried to care, he tried to smile, and he tried to change, but he fails at all of them. He also talks about his inner demons and everything he struggles with. The way Wolejsza sings in this song changes from rage to a heavy delivery that is weighed down by the music, which makes him sound as if he is trapped inside his own hostile head. The guitars grind on in a deliberate, machine-like way, sacrificing pace for a heaviness that underscores the feeling of inertia. The listeners are left with an incredibly heavy emotional residue that forces them to stay within the mess created by an identity crisis without any sort of resolution.

The feel of classic, theatrically inspired heavy metal is present in the opening of “The Lion Must Roar” due to its opening line in the form of an ascending guitar harmony reminiscent of classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal song structure. Such an anthemic opening is a distinct change from the previous track, making for a sonic transition into themes of reclaiming power from within oneself. The song lyrics focus on the process of keeping people silent if they forget their place through the use of the central animal (a lion)metaphor. It becomes clear that Wolejsza also changes his vocals for the purpose of sounding more authoritative and powerful, but at the same time, there is the feeling of overcoming difficulties and hardships despite the fact that the undertone stays gloomy. The use of instruments includes accompanying the vocals with galloping drum beats and exciting guitar solos, which creates a flow of adrenaline through the whole track. For the listener, such a combination becomes really inspiring as it changes the story of the album to its opposite.

The sound texture becomes mellowed out in a space that is bruised and melancholy when one listens to the track “When A Heart” right from its bruised and melancholy beginning, where there is an instrumental track played on a guitar that sounds very personal. It is through this personal beginning that the record is able to shift towards the intricate process of breaking and heartache. The lyrics of this song analyze the quiet heartbreak that takes place when you form a connection with someone in your heart, make space in your heart for someone, and it ends when the emotional connection is broken. The voice in Wolejsza’s song is extremely raw and almost conversational, stripping away the hard metal exterior of the previous songs and revealing an uncertainty that resonates deeply with listeners. The music gradually surrounds this voice with restrained rhythm sections and powerful guitars, playing out the emotions of the singer without resorting to aggression initially. But, as the song builds, the vocals get more aggressive to show the state of mind of the character. This initial restraint strikes a chord with the audience, creating a space for empathy and allowing for reflection on the long and tedious journey of recovering from a broken heart.

This track marks an abrupt change in style, taking on a dirty, groovy approach to “The Clear Check blues”. It starts with the sounds of a Super Mario game and then an aggressive guitar riff with a rhythmic approach that combines the attitude of hard rock and metal with an arcade vibe. This kind of introduction makes you pay attention, breaking the emotional atmosphere created by the preceding tracks with an attitude that is pure and direct. The character in the song will initially be talking about being stuck on a particular level in a video game (because of the gaming sound). But as you listen to the song, you will realize that the game is a metaphor for his life. Just like in the game, he’s stuck and can’t seem to get past something in his life. The vocals of Wolejsza give you a sense of true blues frustration. Instrumentation remains tight and highly rhythmic, incorporating an engaging bass line and drum beats that drive the listener to move their head in time to the rhythm of the struggle. This creates an immediate rallying effect, transforming everyday, exhausting aspects of economic pressure into a song of rebellion that is both personal and unifying. The instrumentation continues to be tight and very rhythmic, with a compelling bass line and drum beat that compels one to nod one’s head in rhythm with the music of the fight. It has an instant rallying effect, turning mundane and tiring elements of economic hardship into a rebel anthem.

A broad, almost cinematic patience is what characterizes the opening of “Winding Road”, as this song starts slowly and expansively, with an atmospheric and spacious guitar melody gradually building up tension over time. This lengthy introduction is quite appropriate, both literally and figuratively, for a journey, as the music gets its breath before the inevitable weightiness takes over. The lyrics deal with the journey of self-transformation over time, viewing personal development not as linear, but rather as circular and full of regressions, unexpected turns, and insights.  The character in the song talks about this winding road and how it’s taking a toll on him, and he feels lost and alone on this road, yet he keeps going. Wolejsza performs the vocals with incredible patience in terms of storytelling, beginning with a thoughtful half-sung tone, which then builds up to a passionate roar when the song reaches its crescendo. The instruments too follow the same trajectory, moving smoothly from airy folk-inspired rock to a violent, distorted sound of doom metal that captures the tempests raging inside. The listener is taken on a journey, an epic experience that leaves him in a thoughtful mood, thinking about his own twisted tale of life.

The intro to The Door Won’t Open” is characterized by a moody and gothic feel, where the song features a collaboration with Clydeman in the creation of a dark background involving echoes of string music and a slow strumming of the guitar. This intro sets the mood of a scene of finality and mental blockage, thus making the listener expect the story of immovable obstacles. The song talks about the pain of not being able to confront your demons. The character in the song knows that behind this closed door are his dreams and things that would allow him to move forward, yet he cannot bring himself to open it. The vocals in Wolejsza have an eerily desperate quality as they engage in dialogue with the atmosphere of the music to produce an effective conversation about isolation and longing. The music is quite heavy on atmospheric doom and dark rock sounds as the melodies resonate in large empty spaces to stress how far away the narrator is from safety. The effect of the music on the listener is very atmospheric and melancholy, creating a strong feeling of stagnation and realizing that some doors just can’t be broken down.

The emotional epicenter of the album comes in the form of One More Hug,” which opens with a heartbreakingly quiet and alone acoustic guitar melody that sounds so delicate and exposed. The minimalistic, pained intro indicates a swift transition into the pure, raw pain of a character who is grieving. While he watches his beloved pet fade away, he wonders if one more kiss or one more hug will be enough to hold on to while he’s grieving. This song presents a hard truth that no matter how well we plan our goodbyes with our pets or how many times we are with that pet, it will not last forever; we will still have to grieve and rely on that as closure. This song presents a moment of genuine vulnerability. The song was written by Wolejsza about the heartbreaking experience of losing his cat Bonnie, who was his beloved companion and a source of unconditional love at home. The restraint that can be heard in Wolejsza’s singing voice cannot be overstated; he does not attempt to sensationalize his performance but rather lets the emotional crackling in his voice do the work. The music itself is wonderfully understated and avoids the temptation of becoming too distorted. Instead, the sound comes from gentle guitar lines, which accompany the vocal melody. As a listener, the effect is devastatingly human and hits home on an emotional level about the universal tragedy of losing a pet.

This record shifts to a post-apocalyptic setting with the song “After humans,” where the introduction features a bleak and eerie soundscape of industrial noises, as well as a mechanical drum sound that lacks any warmth. This eerie and non-conventional introduction sets the stage for the barren and sci-fi setting in which the character in the song wonders who will inhabit the planet once the humans have left. He even goes as far as to wonder who will live in his house, whether they would trash his pictures, or how they would treat his dog. The lyrics are a philosophical commentary about environmental degradation, the arrogance of humans, and how the planet will outlive us all. Speaking about his voice, Wolejsza uses an omniscient and detached tone, which seems cold and chilling, chanting the lyrics as some kind of ominous prophecy above the rising noise. The music style combines aspects of industrial metal and atmospheric doom by employing harsh sound effects, ringing dissonance, and the rhythm section in order to create a realm of dead silence. The result is deeply meditative and mind-blowing, allowing listeners to change their perception of the problem and see the universe through different eyes.

The album climaxes with “The Battle of Turtle Pond”, where the opening tune is an exhilarating metal riff that sounds like a war ballad with a folk flavor. It is a very narrative and communal introduction that draws the listener right into the heart of a localized and historic conflict. The lyrics present a character who is recounting the final war in a series of battles. This final battle was at Turtle Pond, a place where the children of the rebels played. Somehow it seems that they wanted their children to continue to play at the pond was their driving force, which eventually enabled them to win the war and restore peace. This place became a monument, a place to remember the victory that let future children come and play at the pond. Wolejsza’s vocal performance is perhaps most powerful and animated in this track, narrating the story with fiery passion as though an inspirational speaker were calling out from the brink of a coastal region. The music sets the stage for a climactic finish by merging elements of folk rock with the powerful sound of classic metal, incorporating driving beats, joyous guitar melodies, and a feeling of complete narrative closure. The effect is one that leaves the listener on an emotional high, turning the album’s message of struggle into a lasting symbol of perseverance and endurance.

“The Beast I’m Meant to Be” by Matt Wolejsza is one such profound memorial to his years of development as a songwriter. This album, made possible by his fearlessness in facing his personal struggles as well as the corruption of society, is an auditory journey that is quite visceral and human. There is no mincing of words here, as the opening track, titled Stupidity Gone Viral, is an apt introduction to the album and an important statement on how social media tears at the fabric of society and its noise. However, the most impressive aspect of the album is how it goes inward; the title track, The Beast I’m Meant to Be, faces head-on the oppressive nature of depression, despair, and the erosion of self-respect with a profound honesty that provides no escape routes. Every one of the songs featured in the album has been written by drawing inspiration from the rich literary experience of Wolejsza, weaving together personal anecdotes with keen observations of life in order to create entirely genuine music. In conclusion, this album is a beautiful representation of the perseverance of artistry and the strength of community efforts in realizing a personal creative vision. It would be impossible not to fall in love with the stories and powerful messages in every song. You can simply feel the heart of Matt pouring out of this album, making you wonder what amazing music he will bring to your attention next.

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