Werewolves is a new blackened death metal super group of sorts from Australia featuring Sam Bean (The Berzerker, The Senseless,The Antichirst Imperium ) on vocals/bass, Matt Wilcock (The Berzerker, Abramalin, The Antichirst Imperium) and most notably drummer Dave Haley (Abramelin, The Amenta, Psycroptic, Ruins).
According to the promotional materials , the album was written and recorded and signed to Prosthetic Records in a matter of two months, before the trio even settled on a band name and that vicious efficiency is delivered on the ferocious, 32 minute, 9 track debut that latches on to your throat and does not let go for its entirety.
This isn’t a game changer or a challenging listen. This is straight up, feral, blackened death metal, with no pretenses about what it is. The production mirrors the melding of musical styles with razor sharp black metal guitars, a death metal rhythm section, and dual vocals.
From opener “Establish Dominance”, through “No More Heroes” and “Gnaw Their Bones” to closer “Showering Teeth”, the tracks rip and tear like the band’s lycanthropic namesake with little respite. Only short grooves in the opener and “Dogknotted”, as well as “Beating Those We Despise” and the closer, slow down just a tad, as the album basically shreds flesh from start to finish.
Fans of Blood of the Wolf, recent Bethledeign and Nexorum releases and other Black/Death releases should check this out as it’s as good as you’d expect from 3 talented veterans of the Australian music scene.
