Thursday, 2 July 2020

OF WOLVES - Balance (Album Review)


Release date: July 4th 2020. Label: Trepanation Recordings. Format: Cassette/CD/DD

Balance – Tracklisting

1.MENS REA (IZAGUF)
2.JESUS JIHAD
3.MAKER
4.FLAVOR OF THE WEAK
5.BALANCE
6.CLEAR CUTTING/BLOODSHED/HEART TO HAND
7.KILLING SPREE
8.INSIDE (Steve's Head)
9.DIE, DIE (My Darling)

Members

Steve, Ivan & Eric

Review

OF WOLVES finally release their second full length album with Balance. Almost 7 years after they released their acclaimed debut release – EVOLVE. OF WOLVES forge heavy grooves with a deep social awareness to their music. The band don’t classify themselves as a Political Band but see their songs as being about humanity and empathy rather than politics. However, the band do employ deeply political themes to this album and their music in general.

OF WOLVES play a blend of Sludge Metal, Doom Metal, Stoner Metal, Crust Punk, Hardcore, Psychedelic and Noise Rock. So there is a lot of different manic and vibrant aggressive energy throughout Balance and the music can be quite claustrophobic in places. However, this is never dull but one that sees the band create some of the most challenging album you’ll likely hear this year.

The band are influenced by High On Fire, GOJIRA and The Melvins but OF WOLVES still play their own style of music that pulls no punches especially where Steve’s vocals and edgy lyrics are concerned. The majority of the songs have a stop-start approach with OF WOLVES playing a more scattered/gun-fire style of music. This works amazingly well for the first few excellent songs of: MENS REA (IZAGUF), JESUS HEAD and MAKER – which sees OF WOLVES quite comfortable at making the listener feel quite uncomfortable with the different ideas on these songs.

The Crust Punk vibe allows OF WOLVES to be quite forward thinking with their lyrical content and even lay down fantastic sounding Sludge/Stoner Metal riffs. There is a deeply glorious REBELLIOUS attitude that OF WOLVES just thrive upon and the overall darkness of the album is quite catchy in places. The sound of the album may seem too LO-FI in places but that’s OF WOLVES overall style. What You Hear Is What You Get with the band and they make no apologies for delivering this style of NO HOLDS BARRED music.

Balance becomes a much better album when the band start adding different sounds and effects. They feel like they left their own creative comfort zone on this album especially with the title track. The song is purely an Apocalyptic style of Psychedelic Metal and Post-Punk combining for the albums standout track.

The second half of the album is “Where The Magic Happens” with OF WOLVES creating some of the heaviest and weirdest styles of music on the album. The one-two combination of BALANCE and CLEAR CUTTING/BLOODSHED/HEART TO HAND offers 16 minutes of top-notch aggressive musical weirdness with deeply troubling socially aware lyrics making you think what’s currently happening with the world.

OF WOLVES have even managed to find the time to do a stunning cover of Misfits seminal classic song – DIE DIE, MY DARLING. The song is a cool cover with OF WOLVES making it sound more aggressive and slightly more modern compared to the original.

Balance may take a few listens to fully understand and that’s down to the many deep political themes of the album and perhaps the different styles of music that OF WOLVES play on the record. Though, that doesn’t stop Balance being a deeply emotional and intelligent album that will surprise you in many different ways.

I hope we don’t have to wait for another 7 years for the next OF WOLVES release. As these guys are genuine Rock & Roll Poets and I want to hear more from this truly incredible band.

Words by Steve Howe

Thanks to Trepanation Recordings for the promo. Balance will be available to buy on Cassette/CD/DD via Trepanation Recordings from July 4th 2020.

Links: