Band : Wolves Like Us
Album title : Late Love
Label : Prosthetic Records
Distributor : Prosthetic Records
Release date : 27/05/2011 or 05/07/2011?
Release : CD

First a word about the uncertain release date. You see, as so often with Prosthetic releases, there's no release date for this album on the label's website yet, the only info being an announcement dating from January, relating to the band's signing. In it, a release date for the Fall was slated...but when you check out the band's MySpace you'll find 'em mention at the top of the page that the album is available in Europe in a short announcement posted May 27...and on Amazon.com the release date of the album (available for pre-order) is slated for July 5th! Go figure! Anyway...back to the band (the info for which I only found after long research) and their music!

This may be a fairly "new" band on the scene in Oslo (started in early Summer 2010), but its members (singer Torger "Toy" Kjelgaas, guitarist/ backing singer Lars Kristensen, guitarist Espen Helvig and drummer Jonas Thire) have a travelled a long track, starting out their career together in the Hardcore Punk act Amulet in 1993 (well, they were all in that band at some time at least). Folding in 2007, Amulet left us a total of 4 full-length albums, 3 EPs, and 4 7-inch singles. In 2002 Kjelgaas, Kristensen and Helvig already turned a new slate, starting Shoegazer band Infidels, which recorded a split with Rumble In Rhodos in 2003 and an EP in 2004, before changing their name in 2005 to Infidels Forever, which released full-length albums in 2006 and 2007 (current status of band unknown). At a certain time Thire also played the drums for Norwegian Hardcore Punk/ Screamo band JR Ewing...and somehow there's also a connection with Oslo based Punk Rock act Silver. Active since 1998, this band released two EPs in 2000, then released 3 full-lengths since 2004, 2008's Wolf Against Wolf being their latest. Again, current status of band is unknown (last blog on their MySpace dates back from late 2009) and I was also unable to find out whom of the guys in WLU was/is active in that band as well. For their newest project, the band claim to draw influences from the likes of Planes Mistaken For Stars, Hot Snakes and Drive Like Jehu, Hot Water Music, and Afghan Whigs. With the hard work ethics from their previous bands, WLU immediately set about throwing themselves onto the live circuit, where they not only established themselves at last year's OYA Festival, but also managed to tour with the likes of Kvelertak, Gallows, Purified In Blood, and Blood Command. Somewhere along the line the band also released a demo and a 7-inch single, which was given extensive airplay on Norwegian radio stations. Also somewhere during last year Prosthetic Records' European label manager Duncan John Dinsdale happenstanced across one of the band's Oslo gigs, and immediately understood that this band has the capacity to go places. So, a deal was inked, and in January the band spent time in the studio to record their debut full-length, now put under our attention.

Stylistically, what you'll hear when checking out the (demo) songs posted at (www.) myspace.com/wolveslikeus, is a very nice '90s Grunge-meets-Millenium-Rock with one of the guitars often in a catchy heavy riff mode, while the other is often playing leads in a sustained distortion mode (please tell me you're also somewhat reminded of a slightly more excited Helmet!). In other words, there's something deliciously “heavy”, and at the same time something delightfully “whining” in the guitar sound. What with Kjelgaard also the recipient of a truly nice voice which he uses with some volume to back it up, the whole is also backed by the steady bass and drum foundation...making this band a certain contender for the big league. Well, that would certainly have been true some 15 years ago, when labels still had the pull to push band forward, even in the densely populated and milked-out Grunge genre of those days. What with the incredible amount of bands on offer these days, it's hard to predict what's gonna happen. It's also a pity the album wasn't released earlier, because it might've secured the guys some last-minute addition spot on some of the European festivals. At any rate, the band should do real well on their forthcoming short European club tour with Swing Kids (headliners) and Warsawwasraw...which is also bringing 'em to Belgium (July 30 at Aarschot's De Klinker).

92/100

Tony.