Manchester, UK rockers THE WOLF HOWLS WHE I SCREAM YOUR NAME began as a solo project by singer and guitarist Matthew Awbery, originally setting out to deliver sad, emotive songs similar to the likes of Julien Baker and The National. However, it soon became apparent that Awbery’s material was different and demanded a band. Enter drummer Sam Johnson and bassist Harry Woodrow, and the new group set out to record their debut EP. Featured the IDIOTEQ premiered single “Alive & All So Well” and set to be released on April 19th, To Be Where There Is Pale Light is an alternative rock record that spans influences from Thrice to Radiohead, and even City & Colour. Consistently dealing with the topic of death, To Be Where There Is Pale Light evokes the feelings of wishing for the end, confusion, and loss.
Awbery states,
“I definitely had a vision with this record. Once I got going with the first song, I knew that I wanted to write something dark, bold, and emotive.”
To celebrate the unleashing of To Be Where There Is Pale Light, The Wolf Howls When I Scream Your Name will teaming up with emo/math band Clay Lake for a weekend of release parties.
21st April @ The Underground, Stoke (Clay Lake EP release show)
22nd April @ The Salty Dog, Northwich (EP release show) with support from Clay Lake
« Review by IDIOTEQ contributor Eddie Cantú »
I don’t think that many people could know what to expect from a musical act with the name of, The Wolf Howls When I Hear Your Name.
One could imagine the music as being anything from a dark-country styled group to an indie folk project. Fortunately, I’m here to inform you that this group’s music doesn’t apply as either one of the genres. Rather in the music off of this debut E.P. what you find is a vocally led alternative rock group with one sense leaned towards atmosphere and ambiance, while another is focused on structure and a kind of songwriting that I imagine also works perfectly well with just an acoustic guitar.
The shining moment in this album to me is track #4 titled “It Hurts Me”. A song that revolves around a dark Latin scale (not unlike the slower, doomier style of the 90’s Alice in Chains albums) with a mesmerizing vocal performance that intensifies the songs slow progression and disintegrating into the sea of silence.
Overall, this is a promising start point for a band that seems to have a knack for shifting their sound and blending influences that you might not have initially expected. Totally a band to keep your eyes on!
