BAD WOLVES is an American Hard Rock/Heavy Metal band formed in 2017. Hailing from Los Angeles, California, they burst on the scene with a cover of THE CRANBERRIES "Zombie." Since then, they have toured with a number of big names, working relentlessly to bring their music to the masses. "Dear Monsters," their third full-length album, was released on October 29, 2021 via Better Noise Music.

The album opens with "Sacred Kiss." The quiet intro belies what is ahead, a skull crushing song with a massive riff and some fantastic guitar work. The vocals range from clean to growl, covering a lot of ground and forming a wall of sound that just pummels the ears. The drums are rapid-fire through the verses and the bass gives a solid foundation for this tune.

Going the other direction, "Never Be the Same" is more radio friendly. Still pretty heavy, especially with the harsh backing vocals, the tone is still lighter and more the lead vocals carry a lighter timbre. This is more accessible to the hard rock fans. Many a band has tried to please both, and few do it as well as BAD WOLVES.

"Comatose" is sure to be a favorite with the younger generation. Why? "IDK, LOL." Adding text speak to a song is not new, but again, well done with how it's presented. These guys have adapted their lyrical offerings to fit the past and present. It's like they have a knack for bridging that generational gap, which is a fairly rare talent. SO many bands get stuck in one era or another and cannot pull off speaking to both at the same time.

"On The Case" is another really heavy song. This is not really the radio friendly tune we've heard earlier. The vocals are harsher more of the time than in many of the previous songs. The riff and rhythm are both heavier and darker than most of the other songs. Hearing this band shift back and forth, and how easily they do it, is impressive. They do it all well.

And just when you think you've heard it all, "Springfield Summer" comes along. This one starts like a pop ballad, light and airy. Then the main body of the song kicks in and you realize they can't stay there for an entire song. They have to turn it up a notch, and I'm here for it. I can appreciate their skill with the pop influences, but really like their rock additions to this one.

The record ends on more of an 80s power ballad style song. This is yet another style of song BAD WOLVES puts into their repertoire. The range these guys have is truly impressive. They can go from mass appeal to very niche in a heartbeat. The beautiful thing is they do all of it well. History is littered with the bodies of bands who tried to reach too far and really alienated their core of fans. BAD WOLVES have been doing this from the very beginning, meaning they never alienate anyone, just attract more to flock.

Ranging between Rock power ballads and bone crushing Metal, BAD WOLVES is a band that can appeal to a wide array of fans. The exposure they've garnered on these major tours supporting major arena acts has definitely helped gain them a lot of traction. They have a sound that is heavy enough to attract many Metal lovers, but also have the ability to play songs that are radio friendly enough to hook the Hard Rock fans. This duality will help them become fan favorites, their dedication to touring will keep them relevant and in the minds of their followers for years to come.