WOLVES AT THE GATE
Wasteland
SOLID STATE
Christian metalcore journeymen finally mark their arrival
Despite emerging from the same mid-to-late 2000’s Christian metalcore scene, Wolves At The Gate have never broken through in the same way as their prominent peers, August Burns Red, Memphis May Fire and The Devil Wears Prada. Maybe that’s because the Ohioans are one of the scene’s more overtly religious bands, which isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but most likely it’s because they’ve yet to release a truly knockout album. That might be about to change with their sixth full-length, Wasteland, which contains the band’s heaviest and most memorable tracks to date. The opening salvo of [The Wasteland] Pain, Parasite and Synthetic Sun lays down a brutal gauntlet. They’re all glitchy, groovy and bolstered by dark keys, while the harsh/clean vocal play-off between Steve Cobucci and Nick Detty brings gripping melodies bubbling to the surface on Law Of The [Waste]land. This is the sound of a band reborn.