WOLVES AT THE GATE

Metalcore takes many different forms, and there's certainly a place for the genre in the Christian music world. WOLVES AT THE GATE are on Solid State Records, which is largely a Christian heavy music label, but that doesn't mean their music doesn't appeal to a wider range of listeners. Just because a band is faith-based, or faith-filled, that doesn't mean it doesn't rock.

WOLVES AT THE GATE speak to a wide range of listeners, which is a large reason why they've been successful since forming in the late-2000s. The band released its debut full-length in 2012, "Captors", on Solid State and are back with their sixth studio album, "Wasteland", offering a mix of clean vocals from Steve Cobucci and ferocious screams a la Nick Detty.

Following a dramatic, building intro, "Wasteland" really gets going with "[The Wasteland] PAIN", a brutal, cutting metalcore anthem with Detty's bloody screams and Cobucci's soaring singing. Part of the charm of WOLVES AT THE GATE has always been the band's mix of clean and screaming vocals, and they do it more evenly split, blending the two nicely, than many metalcore bands. "PARASITE" follows, bringing more death metal growling and gut-punching rhythms.

While "[The Wasteland] PAIN" and "PARASITE" are heavy, "SYNTHETIC SUN" turns up the metal even more, with in-your-face screams that cut through the guitars and really carry the song. Here, the chorus offers a bit of a melodic relief from the heaviness, with Cobucci's tenor vocals leading the song in a new direction.

It's not all heavy, though. The song "wandering" is an eerie, whispery number that recalls SLIPKNOT ballads such as "Snuff", "Before I Forget", and "Dead Memories". The softer side of the band doesn't last long, though, as "LAW OF THE [Waste]LAND" kicks in with savage riffs and screams, and "SMOKE [False Devils]" serves up more of the same.

What's fun for the listener is that the songs in small case text are the more delicate-sounding numbers. They also carry a theme: "wandering", "withering", "wasting" and "wanting". "UNREST" brings it all back to the heaviest of metal, with more vicious screaming and unforgiving instrumentals.

WOLVES AT THE GATE has always experimented with their sound, and the group continues that trend on "Wasteland". Here, you'll find a head-spinning blend of hardcore breakdowns, sharp metal guitars, electronic beats and, of course, those wild vocals. There's no denying that WOLVES AT THE GATE is one of the strongest metalcore bands of their generation, and "Wasteland" is just the latest example.