Wolfbrigade
Run With The Hunted
(Southern Lord)
Wolfbrigade has returned with perhaps their most crushing album yet. Run With The Hunted cultivates the spirit of rock & roll in an energetic firestorm of melodic and morose riffs that penetrate the bone.
One thing you will notice right out of the gate is that these feral punks have not shown their age. Although they’ve been surviving the pits and perils of the extreme music underground for well over two decades, Wolfbrigade has used their time and experiences to refine the clangy ferocity of their metallic kängpunk brand – lycanthrope punk.
Clocking in at under a half hour, Run With The Hunted fits the prototypical punk rock blueprint; hit quick and move onto the next song before you have time to catch your breath. There is nothing grandiose or experimental about their second Southern Lord album. It’s loud, fast, and angry. The music conjures hopeless, sick, and savage feelings with riffs that will surely move mosh pits into motion.
The opening tracks “Nomad Pack” and “Warsaw Speedwolf” are anthemic d-beat superchargers that introduce the band’s attitude flawlessly. “Warsaw Speedwolf” is perhaps the strongest song on the album and will be a real treat to see them perform it live. “Lucid Monomania” kicks off with that signature d-beat intro and flashes of that signature buzzsaw melody.
Track after track this album crushes. It’s definitely worth a lot more than one listen. If you’re a fan of d-beat, käng, or any of the more melodic and miserable styles of hardcore, then you will probably keep coming back to this throughout 2017 and probably much later on as well.
