Source: Album Artwork
German hardcore hellraisers Wolf Down are back with a new album and a new vocalist. Lyrically, Incite and Conspire takes hardcore to its social activist and punk roots, dealing with themes surrounding government injustice, the preservation of the planet, a demand for the abolition of putting animals in cages and even a plea for listeners to adopt a vegan diet (stop sniggering at the back). What ensues is an uncompromising, brutal onslaught of metallic hardcore aggression that raises important global issues and serves as Wolf Down’s assertion for a call to action.
Musically speaking, Incite and Conspire is nothing out of the ordinary. Heavy chugging guitars, harsh vocals and deathly breakdowns are the order of the day, but that’s not to say that there aren’t some catchy riffs and memorable tracks here though. The adrenaline ride of ‘Flames of Discontent’ is bound to have bodies flying, as will the deliciously filthy breakdown on ‘At Daggers Dawn’ .
‘Incite’ changes the mood and slows things down, opening with a psychedelic intro before launching into a heavy riff, thickened by a low bassline. ‘Conspire’ kicks the pace back up a gear, with galloping guitars and guest vocals from Jesse Barnett of Stick To Your Guns.
New vocalist Dave unfortunately doesn’t match up to the unique vocals of former frontwoman Larissa Gruppe, who provided the ferocious snarls on Wolf Down’s debut album Stray From The Path. In comparison, Dave’s dry throated and shouty vocal delivery across the 11 tracks is rather monotonous, as a result making the songs sound quite generic.
All in all, Incite and Conspire is a decent hardcore album with a few standout tracks, however it falls short of being ‘great’ and doesn’t live up to its predecessor. Hopefully Wolf Down can recapture the magic of their debut on album number three.
