WOLF DOWN - "RENEGADES" (Political Vegan Straight Edge Hardore from Germany + Download Link)

WOLF DOWN - "RENEGADES"
(Four songs, ten minutes.)
("Disarmare DIY Collective"; 7'' + "D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

Here's the new and with this also the second one by Germany's WOLF DOWN, the political motivated Vegan Straight Edge roughnecks. I've reviewed their precursor and if I remember it correct first output some months ago and here's their newest one. Released as a 7'' with download code via the to me pretty unknown "DISARMARE DIY COLLECTIVE" as well as a official for free MP3-Download by the band itself at their Bandcamp site. Don't ask me why they handle it all this way. I just have the MP3-Download, and so with this it will also be pretty much the last "online release" I review up here for the next time because after this one I will mostly focuss on the in the ''General Informations'' post two days ago mentioned albums so far. So, back to the topic, WOLF DOWNs "RENEGADES", and I will keep it short. Not a bad record at all but to me personally a huge step back, because it's all very equal, the songs just sound to much the same, same pace and same rhythm and same structure, if it wouldn't be for the guitars  it would be a total let down and beside the great title track all songs are basically just mid paced stompers especially for the windmilling violent dancers out there. Even this now may sound pretty harsh, but if you are really deep into Hardcore for a while now already then you will notice not that much of an identity here anymore and so it's also if you take the songwriting and the songarrangements a step back for WOLF DOWN, even the guitar work is really strong and improved even a lot and so often the riffing really shines and prevents together with the very skilled and charimatic brutal shouted female lead vocals this release from falling completly down. Throw WALLS OF JERICHO, REBORN TO CONQUER and ALL OUT WAR into the mix, mix it up, but expect not too much, and then go and find what WOLF DOWN deliver today... I am disappointed from this album and hope that the band rightens the wrong again with the next one... but maybe it's just me, who knows, because if you like today's sterotypical mid paced windmilling down beating violent dancing approved metallic Hardcore then this might be your holy grail for today... Good couraged and motivated politically charged lyrics again, a good and very bulky and beefy production sound as well and a cover artwork that is as boring as most of the songs up here... (6 of 10 points)

(http://wolfxdown.bandcamp.com/album/renegades)

 

 

WOLF DOWN - "MMXI" (Metallic Vegan Straight Edge Hardcore from Germoney, released in 2011 + Download-Link)

WOLF DOW- "MMXI"
("Catalyst Records" & "Start A Fire Records"; 7'' + "D.I.Y."; MP3-Download):

I've read an interview with this band in the current "PLASTIC BOMB" Fanzine issue and got really excited and curious about this band after they already caught my attention due to their cool bandname, and so I visited their Bandcamp site and got the free offical MP3-Download offered by the band themselves up there and for all what I know then this here was primarly an 7'' release on the labels "CATALYST RECORDS" and "START A FIRE RECORDS" released originally back then in 2011 but this 7'' I don't know and don't own and I also don't know if there are still copies of it floating somewhere around or if not and if so this MP3-Download for free is the only way to enjoy this album anyhow anyway today. Because of their bandname I was expecting some (metallic) Crustcore assault (you know WOLFPACK/WOLFBRIGADE and so with WOLF DOWN or ''WOLF x DOWN''... yes, yes, yes, I know, by way far too too simple thought by me, haha ;-) ...) but what I could read in the interview was pointing me in another direction and this direction was plain and simple: Hardcore, period!!! And this was in no way not even at least as good as Crustcore would have been at all. But what we get here is no way ''just'' Hardcore and even more in ''no way'' any sort of Metalcore and also this is in absolutely no way your today's stereotypical 2Step/Beatdown ''Hardcore'' stuff for overly tattooed and strongly pierced white trash smalltown ''toughguy rebels'' that think being/acting Gangsta Rap and listening to cheap Death Metal would be now-a-days Hardcore or so, nah, this here is sinister and intense, heavy moshing and grim thrashing, dark and atmospheric, metallic and also with a Holy Terror styled influence coming Hardcore with a strong critical and political Straight xxx Edge and Vegan approach. Delivered by a female vocalist with a incredible charismatic damn aggressive and brutal screamed shouting lead singing style and voice and broad and thick massive and violent guitar work that's fucking intense and that holds a lot of suprises for us in store as well, smashing through your speakers over forceful butal pouding bass playing and devastating massive stunning drum work. Great!!! Throw ALL OUT WAR, ARKANGEL, INTEGRITY, FEAR TOMORROW, EARTH CRISIS, UNIT 731, TRAPPED UNDER ICE and some very few HATEBREED as well into the mix and what comes out you have to mix up with a strong own identity and already an pretty unique approach and then you should have for the start of this a already pretty good imagination of what WOLF DOWN are doing here. Should be also damn interesing and totally the right stuff for fans of great ''young'' acts like REBORN TO CONQUER and THE PLATOON, too. The musicians are all pretty skilled for sure and the songwriting is also already really good even I would really love to hear and see them kicking off the pace quite a bit faster from time to time, but anyhow, a great relase already by WOLF DOWN. Nice (cover-) artwork, really good and interesting lyrics (not your ordinary SxE stuff) and a perfect full power and yet still dirty production sound of top it all. I'm curious looking out for more of them to finally come and I highly recommend this great four track album to you all. Great!!! (9 of 10 points)
(http://wolfxdown.bandcamp.com/) - (Download)
(http://de-de.facebook.com/WOLFxDOWN) - (Contact I)
(http://www.myspace.com/wolfxdown) - (Contact II)
(http://www.stageload.org/interviews/interview-mit-wolf-x-down) - (An interview in german with the band, for all of you interested in it.)