Technical Death Metal in itself is a phenomenon, so it becomes a completely different ball game when it's infused with elements of Black Metal.  Well, when it comes to the Australian band WEREWOLVES, they are among the elite in this field.  As recently as August 11th, they released their fourth album "My Enemies Look and Sound like Me" to add to their previous three albums: "The Dead Are Screaming" in 2020, "What a Time to Be Alive" in 2021, and "From the Cave to the Grave" last year.  Now I'm going to be honest here and admit that this album I'm about to review is the first record by WEREWOLVES that I have ever listened to.  However, I am a huge fan of Technical Death Metal and Black Metal, so I was very excited to give this a try.  And oh boy, am I glad I ever did.

To start off with, the instruments throughout "My Enemies Look and Sound like Me" were absolutely insane.  The complex guitar riffs and rhythms were mind-scrambling, so this was excellent work on Matt Wilcock's part.  And don't even get me started on David Haley's drumming.  With the frequent blast beats and double bass kicking on all of the tracks, Haley must have calves of steel or an inhuman supply of stamina.  Despite the intense speed with which this record proceeds from beginning to end, there are some slower moments, such as the first 2-2 ½ minutes of "Destroyer of Worlds." The Black Metal element of this album is mainly embodied in the lyrics, which are dark and menacing, and the vocals Sam Bean uses for them are as brutal as the vicious mythical creature that the band is named after.  How can hate-filled lines such as "When the pigs build with bricks/Blasting nukes will do the trick?" from "I Hate Therefore I Am" not send chills down your spine?  Or the lines "Sharpening my boots on your teeth/Polished from proceeds of grief" from the title track?  It just further proves that artists don't need to shout "hail Satan" in order to create Black Metal, contrary to what some elitist fans may believe.

As a young fan of Technical Death Metal, I thoroughly enjoyed "My Enemies Look and Sound like Me." There was not a single thing about the record that I didn't like.  Every track is a killer with no useless filler in between.  So if you're a fan of WEREWOLVES who's been following them since their inception in 2019-or heck, if you're a fan of Death Metal in general- then here's a new album for you.