Alpha Wolf – Half Living Things
Release Date: 5th April 2024
Label: SharpTone Records
Bandcamp
Genre: Metalcore, Nu Metalcore, Hardcore.
FFO: Knocked Loose, thrown, Dealer.
Review By: Trina Julian Edwards
Without a doubt, Alpha Wolf “Bring Back the Noise” on their third full-length album, Half Living Things, releasing on Friday, April 5 via SharpTone Records.
Formed in 2013, the Tasmanian/Australian quintet features Scottie Simpson and Sabian Lynch on guitars, Lochie Keogh on lead vocals, John Arnold on bass, and Mitch Fogarty on drums.
While I wouldn’t say they’ve toned things down on Half-Living Things, they have continued to branch out, cementing their signature sound while also adding more of the melodies we saw on A Quiet Place to Die and The Lost & the Longing EP with Holding Absence.
The album opener, and the first single, Bring Back The Noise, is a high-energy monster that grabs you right from the get-go. Simpson noted in a press release for the band that they wrote this album with the live show in mind, and nowhere is it more obvious than on this track. Reminiscent of crowd favorite, Akudama, you’re in for a blistering slap of distorted guitar squall and punchy, syncopated rhythms overlaid with Keogh’s banshee screams. The turntable scratching is not something I was expecting, but it punctuated the lyrical passages and took me straight back to the late 90s with nu metal bands like Slipknot, Limp Bizkit, and Linkin Park. It could have been gimmicky, but I didn’t find it so. I’ve often seen the band labeled as “nu metalcore,” and they definitely lean into that here.
Double-Edge Demise is another fast-paced seether that will serve the band well live. You can feel the burgeoning anger as the waves of sound pick up speed, also reflected in the narrative themes when Keogh snarls, “I’m gonna make you hate me!” The backing screams and the whispered “tick-tock tick…” add some nice dynamics to the vocal performances, and the dissonant guitar solo echoing in the background gives the track an edgy, dystopian vibe.
The high-pitched, wobbly guitar intro to Haunter took a leaf straight out of Korn’s book. The hair-raising effect reminds me of the intro to Freak on a Leash, but that’s where the similarity ends. The intro sets the spooky mood, leading to a brutal rhythm that, while not quite as fast as in the previous tracks, still hits like a hammer. Keogh shows his range here, alternatively growling and screeching to give the vocal lines some interesting textures. The spoken word section has the creep factor of early Marilyn Manson, and there’s a return to the guitar effect from the intro, preserving the ominous feel through to the end.
Sucks 2 Suck is the second single from the album, and I admit the title sounds kind of silly. However, the track keeps things moving with plenty of groove and an infectious rhythm. Plus, the underlying narrative is serious enough, speaking to the idea of working hard to earn your place in the world. Of course, I was immediately intrigued when I learned that they managed to get Ice-T on board. I’ve been a fan since the late 80s, so I was curious as to how they were going to go about this. At first, I thought it was going to be a little forced, but Ice-T is no stranger to heavy metal. If you’ve never listened to his band, Body Count, do yourself a favor and look them up. Ice-T knows how to make this work, and despite the seemingly disparate styles, make it work he did. He laid down the law with his inimitable flair, elevating the track with the usual aplomb.
Simpson also noted in the press release that Whenever You’re Ready was a different type of song for the band, and I agree to some extent, although songs like Bleed 4 You pointed in this direction. Dealing with themes of love and loss, Whenever You’re Ready explores new avenues not just instrumentally, but also vocally. The track has a light, airy intro before the rhythm kicks in, settling into a slower pace than we’re used to seeing from the band. Keogh infuses the verses with plenty of emotion and ferocity, screaming like his heart is being ripped from his chest. The ethereal vocals in the background and the huge, melodic chorus from bassist John Arnold, “Breakdown if you want to, you can stay inside if you need to…” is metalcore perfection. It’s giving early Polaris or Northlane vibes, and there’s not a darn thing wrong with that.
Pretty Boy is another track that follows a more traditional metalcore song structure, with screamed/growled verses and a more melodic chorus with some clean vocals from Arnold. The guitars are riffy and punchy, with plenty of movement and intensity. The dynamics on this track deliver the right amount of contrast and keep things interesting. Keogh’s lower register growls are just nasty, and you can hear contempt in every line.
Mangekyō drops like a ton of bricks, with guitars and rhythms chugging in tandem to deliver a powerful punch. The breakdown elements here are exceedingly effective, perfectly timed to get the crowd riled. Keogh is a force of nature per usual, snapping and snarling like the creatures he describes battling: “Stay close to your silver bullets, sweetheart, and show these bloodsuckers some sunshine…” The instrumental break following this pronouncement is a wall of distortion and aggression, well-suited to a fight against supernatural elements.
A Terrible Day for Rain is a djenty beast of a track, thumping away like nobody’s business. However, as much as the bouncy rhythm and moving leads command attention, the tempo changes are what really sell this track. Those screeching halts and slow builds ratchet up the tension, and the breakdown elements provide a cathartic discharge of all that energy.
Keogh comes out swinging in Feign, laying down some venomous verses over the pounding rhythm. When the tempo picks up, it gets increasingly more djenty and the leads start to take off. The spoken word section is a vicious diatribe, dripping with scorn. This is followed by an instrumental section that is full of more djenty, proggy goodness, not unlike ERRA’s Scorpion Hymn, which is also brilliant.
Garden of Eyes opens with distorted guitar squalls that kick into a mid-tempo groove. The tempo drops, just to build back up to the chorus, which is nothing short of nerve-wracking. The staccato rhythm, along with the cadence of Keogh’s vocals, is perfection, “finally alone…in the gar-den…where noth-ing fuck-ing grows…,” and his lows are faultless. Never mind that the machine gun blasts from the drums punctuate it like a punch in the throat, or that the monstrous breakdown is pure chaos.
The otherworldly intro effects on the title track Half Living Things usher in a spare rhythm on the drums before the guitars crash the party. It quickly drops down to just bass and vocals, something like Korn’s Got the Life, before the riffy guitars join the fray again. Speaking of Korn and nu metal, Keogh even refers to freaks and leashes here—coincidence perhaps—but these riffs are giving off some very crunchy nu metal vibes. The dynamics are quick and lively, and it’s fierce and angry like late 90s Slipknot.
Half Living Things comes to a close with Ambivalence. The final track has a wistful piano intro that beautifully sets the contemplative mood. It continues at a slower pace than is their norm, and the focus is primarily on the clean vocals, although there are screams used in the prologue and interspersed throughout to add emphasis. The band has not shied away from emotional topics, but they’ve raised the bar with Ambivalence. The vocal line before the first chorus, “I just don’t want to be alone…” is a cry everyone can identify with, as is “I keep blaming myself til I melt down…” The band was joined by a choir of their friends from different bands, which gave the track even more weight and color. The outro is a callback to the intro; however, the final note down avoids the tonic, leaving listeners anticipating a resolution that never comes.
Overall, this is a step in the right direction for the band. Although the bravado is still there—and let’s face it, if we’re listening to Alpha Wolf, most of us want the bravado of Sub-Zero and Black Mamba—there’s an added maturity you can see in the songwriting and in the growing skills of the musicians. There’s a greater focus on melody and narrative, but they haven’t lost any of that chaotic edge. As I’ve mentioned repeatedly, I am extremely picky about my cleans, and as a rule, I do not want them in every song. However, the cleans here have some grit, and they’re used sparingly, as is proper.
The crunchy guitars and thumping rhythms speak to some of the best parts of nu metal, but the vitality with which they tackle every song keeps things fresh and interesting. Not to mention, their live show is one of the best and most energetic I’ve ever seen, and I am looking forward to hearing these tracks when they return to the U.S. this spring. Don’t miss Half Living Things, out Friday, April 05. 
(4 / 5)
