Bad Wolves is a heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 2017. They’ve released three studio albums – Disobey, N.A.T.I.O.N., and Dear Monsters – four EPs, and several singles. Their most successful release is their first single, ‘Zombie’. This was a cover of the protest song of the same name by the Irish band The Cranberries.
The Band Members
The band currently has five members, three of whom – Doc Coyle, Kyle Konkiel, and John Boecklin – have been around since the beginning. Coyle is the lead guitar player and also does backing vocals, while Konkiel also does backing vocals and plays bass guitar. As for Boecklin, he plays percussion and drums. Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz has been the lead vocalist since June 2021. The newest member is Max Karon, who plays rhythm guitar and was previously a member of Once Human. He joined in May 2022.
The Music
The band’s music is mostly of the heavy metal genre, though some songs incorporate other genres such as hard rock, groove metal, and djent. Four of their singles have topped the Mainstream Rock chart in the US. These are ‘Zombies’, ‘Remember When’, ‘Killing Me Slowly’, and ‘Sober’. The band’s music tends to focus on personal experiences and rather heavy-hitting themes. ‘Remember When’, for example, is about former member Tommy Vext and his identical twin brother; Tommy was sober and his brother was a drug dealer and tried to murder him. ‘Sober’ focuses on alcohol addiction.
The Band Formation
The band was formed in early 2017 by the five original members: Doc Coyle, Kyle Konkiel and John Boecklin, along with former members Tommy Vext and Chris Cain. Boecklin had been working on material since 2014 and a lot of this ended up on the band’s first album. After forming, they signed with Better Noise Music and released several singles, with their first album coming out in 2018. The band is managed by Zoltan Bathory, who is a member of the heavy metal band Five Finger Death Punch.
Past Members
The band’s lead vocalist, Tommy Vext, left in 2021. He confirmed this on 8 January in an official statement and the four remaining members vowed to keep the Bad Wolves band going. Initially, it was thought Vext left the band to pursue a solo career.
However, he later said that he felt encouraged to leave because of his conservative political views and his support for the then president Donald Trump. He didn’t just leave the band; he also departed from Better Noise Music. Guitarist Chris Cain announced his departure on 14 April 2022; he had been with the band since the beginning but his departure was far less controversial than Vext’s.
Conclusion
Heavy metal is a popular theme not just in music, but also in the fashion industry and even in the gaming culture. For example, in games like the Black Mamba slot one can see how heavy metal is represented in slot games. If you’re interested in the Bad Wolves, check out their music and see if it appeals to you.
