BAD WOLVES: Die About It (ALTERNATIVE METAL): review / opinion to read on Music Waves

Bad Wolves. If that name doesn't ring a bell, remember the metal cover of the Cranberries' hit 'Zombie' that flooded the waves in 2018. Six years have passed and yet it seems like only yesterday. In the meantime, Bad Wolves have moved on, parting ways with their lead singer after their second album, 'N.A.T.I.O.N.', and releasing four albums, including 'Die About It' in 2023.

With the exception of 'Zombie', Bad Wolves never really managed to break through in Europe, no doubt due to the fact that their compositions were very much calibrated for the American market, quickly listened to and quickly forgotten. Unfortunately, 'Die About It' is unlikely to change all that, since it contains the same inspirations as their previous albums, but perhaps even more watered down. Often coming close to Pop Evil or Five Finger Death Punch without having the power or the success, Bad Wolves seem constantly torn between the desire to show their muscles and the need to calm their ardour. The result is tracks like 'Bad Friend', which alternates between heavy verses bordering on djent and choruses with downright pop vocal lines, and its successor 'Die About It', which mixes rapped passages, a few growls and once again those all-purpose vocals that soften the track.

With the exception of 'Move On', which uses the same ingredients to try and pick up the pace a little, the rest of the album is content to offer us US metal tracks all derived from the same mould. Listeners with a bit of experience in the genre will often be surprised to have guessed the development of the track a few seconds before hearing it, especially the breaks, which are so numerous and predictable that they lose their effectiveness. Add to that the generic production, guitar riffs that all sound pretty much the same, making for tiring listening, and clean but stereotyped drumming, and it's hard to pick out one track over another. And while Bad Wolves do make a few attempts to add a little originality, notably by including a saxophone on 'DNA' or attempting a few forays into even more mainstream music ('Legends Never Die', 'It's You', 'Set You On Fire'), this doesn't always improve things.

As is often the case in modern US metal, the occasional track can leave a positive impression, and some of them may even end up on a playlist ('Bad Friend'). Taken in its entirety and listened to repeatedly, however, 'Die About It' struggles to convince, giving the impression that Bad Wolves wanted to follow a set of specifications designed to please as many people as possible, whatever the cost. It's probably not the best way to stand out from the crowd... - Official website

BAD WOLVES

DIE ABOUT IT

AUTRE LABEL

ALTERNATIVE METAL