Edgy with heart; a befitting phrase for To Speak of Wolves’ new album. I’ll leave their faith out of this discussion, though I’ll use this sentence to say that their music feels stronger because of it. There’s a message here. Whether you take something from that or not is up to you. I’m here to tell you if Myself < Letting Go is worthy of your time. Spoiler alert: it is.

The band utilizes a song structure similar to that used by It Dies Today on their second album (Caitiff Choir). The verses are inundated with rough hardcore-type toughguy vocals, syncopated chugging/double bass, and groovy hooks. The choruses, on the other hand, are light and filled with emotional sung lyrics, supported by harmonic melodies and a softer drumming style. It’s really just the classical half-tough/half-singsongy metalcore vibe. It’s done well, mind you. Very, very well. Everything about this record, from the guitars to the vocals, drums and bass, screams talent. Each musician here knows their strong suit and wear them in each song.

The production is absolutely top notch. The guitars are clear and have a ton of oomph, the trills are high and crisp, the vocals are appropriately two-toned; raw and narrow for the verses, expansive reverb applied to the singing on the choruses. It’s a wonderful mix too, as nothing takes over anything else.

The only thing I can take as a negative from this, and it may perhaps be a big one, is that there’s no real variety here. Each song is good, but it’s predictable from moment one. There are no curveballs, no innovations, no “ah hah! I must listen to that again!” moments anywhere on this record. It is, for all intents and purposes, metalcore to fit within the metalcore mold. It defines the mold, fills it in really nicely, but it never really breaks it. Song after song, it’s the relative same thing. The fact that I’m comparing this to a metal record that came out five years ago should be a little bit of a warning bell. This is great metalcore. But it’s also been done before.

To Speak of Wolves’ Myself < Letting Go is a fantastic record, even if it is a bit samey at times. It’s got a great strong feel to it and despite its repetitiveness, does manage to entertain from the first bar of music. I recommend it to all fans of bands like It Dies Today, Darkest Hour, Underoath, Zao, etc. No, it may not be memorable, but if you’re looking for something of quality to place in your current playlist, I highly suggest you add this record.

4.0/5