Review by Lydia Evans for MPM
Alpha Wolf released their latest album, Half Living Things, on 5th April. The metalcore band is originally from Burnie, Tasmania, and now is located in Melbourne, Australia. Alpha Wolf is a five-piece band composed of Lochie Keogh (vocals), Sabian Lynch (guitar), Scottie Simpson (guitar), Mitchell Fogarty (drums), and John Arnold (bass).
The band is known for its metalcore/nu-metal inspired music. As a big fan of nu-metal, I was looking forward to listening to this one.
The album has twelve tracks and is filled with heavy riffs, high powered vocals and a lot of anger and attitude.
The songs are mostly shorter tracks coming in at around three minutes, with the final track being over five.
The album opens with Bring Back The Noise. With powerful screeching vocals over a rich backdrop of heavy instruments, it’s a great opener to set the tone of the album.
Double Edge Demise plays into the early 2000s feel to it. The vocal screams of “tick-tock, tick-tock” are eerie. Haunter goes along with this vibe and I can see the inspiration from nu metal.
Sucks to Suck (Featuring Ice T) is next. I find the collaboration a success – Ice T’s verse has that retro element with a powerful, don’t-care attitude that matches energy with the band.
The rough guitars and drum beats back up Lochie’s rhythmic vocals. Ice T adds to the song without
taking away; it’s a cool track.
Whenever You’re Ready takes a break from the heaviness with an ambient introduction before breaking into melodic guitars and precise drums. The vocals sound as if they’re pleading with the listener. The chorus features cleaner vocals which adds to the depth of the song.
Throughout the album, vocalist Lochie Keogh shows off different style vocals which shows range and keeps the tracks fresh. Pretty Boy does this with the deeper vocals.
The drums on this track are also impressive and show off precision, thanks to drummer Mitchell Fogarty. I find drums one of the most important moving pieces in this genre, as they have the capability to
stand out and bring the music to the next level.
Mangekyō has a spooky vibe to it with an eerie lead guitar against heavy rhythm guitar. It appears the title is a recurring theme with the band, as Lochie’s Instagram username is “mangeky.ou”. I don’t know the exact reference, but it appears to be related to the manga series Naruto.
A Terrible Day For Rain is a song with great dynamics. It slows in the middle, allowing the song to build back up again. This allows listening to the album start to finish ups and downs. Listening with headphones, the travel added another layer. Feign has a catchy rhythm to the drums and guitars with vocals that complement this. It’s another one of the tracks with stand-out dynamics that push and pull.
Garden of Eyes has extra distorted and high-pitched guitars. The best way to describe this track is extreme: vocally and instrumentally. I think this one captures the feel of the band’s music very well.
Half Living Things is a great choice for a title track. I particularly enjoy the vocals that have a retro, almost rap-inspired rhythm to them. The album finishes with Ambivalence.
The first minute of the track is instrumental before the vocals come crashing in. This song has a uniqueness and emotional power. The vocals of “I just don’t wanna be alone” are intense. It’s a good closing track that sticks with you after listening.
Alpha Wolf has a North American tour coming up across the United States and Canada, starting on 12th April in Mesa, Arizona. Playing alongside Emmure, Unity, and Chamber, Alpha Wolf is excited to showcase Half Living Things.
ORDER HALF LIVING THINGS HERE
Follow Alpha Wolf: https://www.alphawolfcvlt.com/
Facebook: /alphawolfcvlt
Instagram: @alphawolfcvlt
Twitter: @alphawolfcvlt
