Wolves At Bay – “When I’m Dead” Review
Posted: by Sean Gonzalez
Stream the EP while you read!
Wolves At Bay is a post-hardcore outfit from Connecticut that thrives off of releasing incredibly dark music. Anger, anxiety and depression are all within their music and are expelled with dismal melodies and vitriolic screams. Their new EP When I’m Dead uses the same formula and is available for a name your price on the Animal Style Records Bandcamp.
The opening track ‘Tried To Fix’ beings with melodic and enchanting vocal lines and has pounding drums to go along with it. The guitars are well versed in having a deep black metal vibe to them, especially in the tremolo picked part. It’s the combination of screaming vocals, blending multiple guitars for one melody and spastic drumming that bring the song to it’s collapse, the perfect climax and lead in for the next track, ‘Nothing Will Work’. The dramatic pulse of the chorus sticks out in this song. “You can never get your” is sung with a lot of grace and control but is sandwiched between powerful drum hits, adding a bit more impact into the part. The cries of urgency in the ending portion of the song are extremely emotional. Vocalist Will Hayes puts a lot into his voice for his screams. (Editor Note: he told us in our interview that he recorded some of these screams in the dark to get the mood right)
The closing track ‘Sincerely, Your Ex-Lover’ is a mashup of multiple emotions. Hayes in almost a near whisper when he sings, “come back home” and it sounds as if his heart is near the breaking point. As the song continues on the intensity picks up with snarling snare rolls, feisty feedback and droning minor key guitars. Just before the four minute mark the track explodes with whaling screams and a frantic bridge. The entire band, guitars, drums, bass and vocals all seem to be fighting for space to breathe. It is entirely suffocating, but that is exactly what Hayes intends with his desperate voice, crying out about being dead.
And then it ends. This EP is a mixture of a heavier Balance And Composure/Brand New. The screams are visceral and the build ups are epic. Wolves At Bay is giving away a gem of an EP with When I’m Dead. It is a solemn yet savory 3 songs packed to the brim with emotions.
8/10
-Sean
