Direwolves – The Great Year

It took Direwolves almost three years to come up with the follow-up to their magnificent Aegri Somnia. The new rager, called The Great Year, is another outburst of strong emotions coming from this French band, and there’s no doubt that they put a lot of effort into this record.

First and foremost, the band began this project by making sure that their songs were original enough to really stand out from the crowd. Drenched in captivating guitar work, eclectic drumming and passionate screams, The Great Year is an intense yet beautifully melodic record. Lyrically, these six songs are applicable to anyone who’s ever struggled with anxiety, depression, and general self-doubt. What more can I ask for when I’m blessed with so much of what I love in hardcore punk music today?

The band’s uplifting and intricately layered sound is massively engaging in a relentless ebb and flow of hook-laden and breathtaking build-ups. There’s also a strong sense of cohesiveness that makes the 19-minute record a homogeneous substance that flows like a drug into your veins, or a fix of adrenaline-pumped emotional hardcore injected straight into your heart.

From the fascinating production of their songs to the stunning artwork by Førtifem—this is what I call a record worth experiencing.