Written by Wolves may not have
released any new material in 2022, but everyone knew the boys were working on
their next album, and if you were fortunate enough to see them play then you
will have already heard Give 'Em Hell as they were using this track as the opening number. In
many ways this encapsulates everything which is Written By Wolves in one song –
if you want to know why so many of us keep raving about them, then this will
demonstrate why.
At just 4 minutes in length, Give 'Em Hell has so many twists and turns
that the listener never knows where it is going to lead. Various different layered
sounds take us into Kodo style drums, and then everything dies away, with a
phased guitar in the distant background as Mikey gently sings “Take me to your
leader”, and then he lets loose a scream, the guitars are in, and almost as
soon as it has begun we are thrown in a different direction, then
another, and then another. Within the first sixty seconds of this song we have heard
all the instruments and vocals being treated in a multitude of different styles as we
are sonically being thrown around, all the while realising that the music is
both heavy and intensely commercial, and just so damn catchy.
If anyone ever wants to know how
contrast can be used to great effect in just one song, then put this on, as at
the back Karl Woodhams (drums) and Oli Lyons (keyboards, percussion) are all over
the place as they provide different foundations, while either side of the
singer there is Bahador and Davie crunching riffs, or keeping it tight, and
then at the heart of it all is Michael Murphy, singing sweetly, or screaming,
being gentle or ramming it home. They are mixing pop style mentality with dance
stylings and then throwing it into the mixer with metal and coming out with
something which is influenced by the likes of Linkin Park but being put on
steroids as WBW take it to new heights.
With nearly 70 million views on YouTube,
60 million streams on Spotify, they are already known to many, but if the new
album contains as many surprises as this one song, it is surely going to
explode.
2023 will be the year of Written By Wolves. Are you ready?
Written By Wolves are a fresh and progressive, cinematic rock band and one of the most exciting new rock acts to come from New Zealand in recent years.
Having announced themselves on the world stage with their debut release, Secrets in 2019 they then combined with some of the biggest names in Rock Music in 2021 to release The Collab Project, an EP and mental health initiative aimed at giving their fans, friends and followers a platform to talk about their mental health and a reminder that no matter what they are going through they do not have to do it alone. Featuring Sonny Sandoval of P.O.D, Kellin Quinn of Sleeping With Sirens, Trenton Woodley of Hands Like Houses and Sydney Rae White of The Wild Things, the EP has received critical acclaim, millions of streams and has delighted fans worldwide.
Renowned for their highly energetic live show, the band have already shared the stage with international heavyweights such as Machine Gun Kelly, Limp Bizkit, Pendulum, Sublime With Rome, Suicidal Tendencies, Hed PE, Falling In Reverse, Escape The Fate, We The Kings, Four Year Strong, Stevie Stone, Kehlani and have recently completed 3 nationwide tours with two of New Zealand’s biggest Rock bands - Devilskin and Blindspott.