The Wolf Howls When I Scream Your Name, the brainchild of Matthew Awbery from Cheshire, England, is one of those projects that emerge with the capacity to transform personal metamorphosis into a hauntingly universal experience. Initially a solo endeavor, resonating with influences from Julien Baker and Keaton Henson, it blossomed into a full-fledged band, weaving through alternative rock landscapes over four transformative years.
Matthew Awbery, the architect of this sonic odyssey, reflects on his journey with a candid introspection that is as raw as it is revealing.
“It took me time to build up confidence and to find a new sense of direction when the band left as I got so used to it being a band,” he shares. This confession is not just a glimpse into his artistic process but a testament to the resilience and adaptability inherent in creative evolution.
The departure of his bandmates marked not an end, but a new beginning, a period of solitary reflection and exploration.
Awbery found solace and inspiration in the depths of Mark Lanegan’s gravelly tones, the poetic darkness of Nick Cave, and the introspective anthems of The National. It was in this period of introspective exploration that the genesis of “Fold” took place.
Released tomorrow, December 22nd, “Fold” is a captivating blend of the haunting and the ethereal, featuring childhood friend Sophie Dewsbury. Her vocal contribution weaves seamlessly with Awbery’s low register, creating an atmosphere that is both intimate and expansive.
The track encapsulates a feeling of life’s uncontrollable unraveling, yet there’s an acceptance in this chaos, a surrender to the inevitable. In Awbery’s own words, “the song is about feeling like your life helplessly collapsing around you and accepting it.”
The track unfolds like a slow-burning fuse, teasing a climax that hovers on the edge of explosion yet never detonates. Instead, it lingers in a sphere that is both noisy and ethereal, resonating with a sense of haunting beauty and unresolved tension.
The landscape of “Fold” is an experience, a journey through the echoes of a soul navigating the complexities of change and acceptance.
