Out Came The Wolves
Strange Fate
(Roadrunner Records)
It’s funny/sad how Bring Me The Horizon has become the blanket reference point for every new metalcore band that combines pop hooks with big riffs. Especially for those of us who were in high school during the 00s, it’s laughable to think that BMTH was the only one to write the book on emotional pop/metalcore (though they are pretty damn good at the style). Minnesota’s Out Came The Wolves sound could certainly appeal to fans of BMTH (and Bad Omens more so; check them out if you haven’t yet); however, Strange Fate feels much more like it was taken from the heyday of emocore of a decade ago. Out Came The Wolves would easily fit in a Hot Topic-sponsored bill in 2006 with groups like Matchbook Romance, Dead Poetic, Senses Fail, and Hawthorne Heights (and I mean that in a good way). The name of the game here is big riffs, bigger choruses, and passionate breakdowns. It’s heavy in an easily digestible way, which is to say this is more metal and hardcore-influenced rock than anything else. There’s also a slight goth-y electronic edge that reminds me of Eighteen Visions. In case this isn’t totally clear, Out Came The Wolves have all the emotion, energy, and passion of what we called “emocore” a decade ago. In other words, this is too damn fun
Thankfully, Strange Fate doesn’t just skirt by on nostalgia alone (‘member The Juliana Theory? I ‘member!), as these songs are real earworms. Even the more “radio-friendly” tunes like “Bleed” and “Queen Mary’ are catchy enough that it’s fairly easy to forgive the sticky-sweet aftertaste. However, the band are at their best when they go full-on emocore. “96” feels like a perfect live opener, with its immediacy, and “Baby Blue” is a huge ode to lovers separated by miles on the road. Once the title track interlude is over, the record kicks into a second, more energetic gear, showcasing that the band is more effective when they pair their massive hooks with heavier backbone tunes.
Overall, Out Came The Wolves’ is a great introduction into a band who clearly has big goals. With everything in their sound turned up to 11, this music should kill live, and despite some cliche lyrics, the passion is evident. The band don’t have the most original sound in the world, but by taking lessons from post-hardcore of yesteryear, Strange Fate appears to have a good fate ahead of it.
