“In Victoria …” is a conceptual release by Wrasse that explores the stark parallels between 19th-century Victorian hardship and the socio-economic reality of the United Kingdom in the post-austerity era. My work delves into a structural “Modern Regression,” linking the systemic hardships of the 1834 Poor Law to the lived experiences of modern Britain. By employing the archaic, visceral language of the 19th century, I am reframing contemporary crises, such as food banks, the housing market collapse, and the steady erosion of the social safety net, as a deliberate return to a social structure once thought to be a relic of the past. This historical mirror allows my listeners to understand their modern problems from an entirely different perspective. Moving away from the polished production of contemporary rock, my project utilises an experimental composition style to produce a grit-heavy, mechanical sound. The record’s sound is built upon a distinctive and experimental setup involving a bass guitar, high-gain amplification, and an intricate pedalboard arrangement. The result is a soundscape that feels both ancient and immediate, capturing the soot-stained grit of the Victorian thoroughfare through a modern, abrasive hard rock filter.