It’s a funny old game, metalcore. For a start, there’s no clear consensus whether, as a whole, it’s good or not, considering the vast number of bands on each side. Couple that with the fact that bands can get stupidly popular even with no distinctive qualities to them and that we’re currently in a state of drastic over-saturation, and that only seems to muddy opinions of its worth even more.

But every so often, there’s an odd glimmer of hope, that spark of good fortune that you want to succeed because it could be the real rejuvenating force the genre so desperately need. So without further ado, say hello to Out Came The Wolves, metalcore that shuns the tag for something much broader, but much more accurate. Granted, on ‘Strange Fate’ they aren’t the finished article yet – their sound of a more polished, melodic Beartooth could do with some fine tuning and would benefit from a slightly rougher mix, but they’re definitely on the right track.

As an album ‘Strange Fate’ is clearly this band’s debut – it’s still unrefined in terms of real intent, but it has the flashes of greatness that could mark Out Came The Wolves as a force to be reckoned with in the future. The raging, white-hot fury of ‘Kodiak’; the towering pummel of ‘ILoveHateYou’; the melodic rock stomp of ‘Bleed’ that could’ve appeared on the last Sum 41 album; they’re all signs of a band with their finger on the pulse of both metalcore and modern rock, and are ready to capitalise on them both with military precision.

Sure, it’s not the most original sound in the world, but Out Came The Wolves at least own what they do, and ‘Strange Fate’ is as much proof as is needed. And with 2017 just poking over the horizon, Out Came The Wolves are ready to take over.

3.5/5

‘Strange Fate’ by Out Came The Wolves is out now on Roadrunner Records.

Out Came The Wolves links: Website|Facebook|Twitter

Words by Luke Nuttall (@nuttall_luke)