Album Review: Alpha Wolf – Half Living Things (Greyscale Records/SharpTone Records)

Australian metalcore band Alpha Wolf will be releasing their third studio album, ‘Half Living Things’, on April 5th via Greyscale Records/SharpTone Records.

Hotly anticipated? That’s an understatement. This is Alpha Wolf, and they have been on an absolute tear for some time now. Hence, the lofty expectations that come with this new release. Expectations that could be too much for a ‘normal’ band to handle, but Alpha Wolf live and breathe this sort of thing.

Half Living Things is a beast of a record, one that kicks off with intent as Bring Back the Noise smashes and crashes with unabashed metalcore recklessness. Short, and to the point, but very effective. Alpha Wolf go hard and heavy, not shaking any foundations, but still thrilling.

It’s the starter, a mouthful of joy that sets up the main course, and a freaking flavour explosion. First, there is the aggressively thrashy and groovy effort that is Double-Edge Demise, then there is Haunter, a jagged and uneven metalcore juggernaut, before Sucks 2 Suck showcases anthemic abrasiveness. Groovy as hell, with a punchy chorus, and a big finish. It features the legendary Ice-T leading the song into a killer breakdown.

One of the album’s highlights is Whenever You’re Ready, for many reasons, but the main one being the fact that it’s a showcase of Alpha Wolf’s melody and metal balance. It is every bit the stompy and groovy metal beast you’d hope it to be, but because it has a ton of effective melody, it just stands out more. This side of Alpha Wolf is always a joy to listen to.

Yet, no-one is going to ever complain about hearing raging efforts like Pretty Boy, Mangekyō, A Terrible Day for Rain, and Feign. The heftiness of the instruments, the frothing aggression in the vocals, the ability to be so anthemic, and the focused intensity. Manic Alpha Wolf is one thing, angry Alpha Wolf is another, but put them together and you get music like this. You’ll break a sweat, even if you’re sitting still in a chair as you listen to this.

It’s the digging deeper than ever before to unearth levels of gurn-inducing heaviness that impresses. Alpha Wolf were already operating on a different level to most, but on Half Living Things, they’ve found so much more. This is the sound of band having found their place, feeling comfortable and confident in every aspect of their sound. It’s why, as the album reaches the latter stages, things still feel so fresh.

No easy thing to do, especially as the stompy fierceness and emphatic abrasiveness is still front and centre with Garden of Eyes and the title track.

How about Ambivalence as a finale though? Notable immediately because of its length (the only track to pass five minutes), but memorable for its big melodic sound. This is a track that oozes heart and soul, but to be fair, every part of this album has that. It just truly spectacular to hear it go out in such huge fashion.

Alpha Wolf – Half Living Things Track Listing:

1. Bring Back the Noise
2. Double-Edge Demise
3. Haunter
4. Sucks 2 Suck (feat. Ice T)
5. Whenever You’re Ready
6. Pretty Boy
7. Mangekyō
8. A Terrible Day for Rain
9. Feign
10. Garden Of Eyes
11. Half Living Things
12. Ambivalence

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