WOLVES DON’T SLEEP is a Metalcore album from the city of Nottingham in England. They have been making their neighbours feel uneasy since 2015 and released their first EP “Clarity” in 2020. Now, another four years later it is time for the sophomore attempt with “Fears & Fractures”. Thus far they have not been able to find a record company that will accept them into their midst and that, my friends, in a grave injustice if you ask me.

Why would I say such a thing when I am well aware of some of the lesser favourable reviews of “Fears & Fractures”. Well, I understand where the reviewers are coming from, because usually a Metalcore band will be as bipolar as possible, with their emotions ranging from extremely aggressive and angry to utterly emo and despondent. WOLVES DON’T SLEEP don’t follow that recipe at all. They start at hard and heavy and finish just before the aggressive stage. Their boundaries are quite a lot tighter than people in the Metalcore community are used to.

Does that make “Fears & Fractures” into a lesser EP? Well, not in my book, as I actually do like what they are offering in the eighteen minutes that I get to enjoy the music of WOLVES DON’T SLEEP. On the other hand, it prevents the EP from becoming extraordinary or exceptional. It is just okay now, and once you accept the range that the band operates in the level of appreciation starts rising with every listening session. For me this happens because I can hear more influences than the one I have stated so far. I will elaborate in the next paragraph, and will also explain why “Fears & Fractures” is worth your time pounding your ears.

Like I said, “Fears & Fractures” isn’t groundbreaking music, and WOLVES DON’T SLEEP aren’t going to be taking the world by storm any time soon. I do feel that they deserve to be heard, accepted and appreciated by not only the Metalcore community, but also those who like their Extreme Metal and/or Thrash Metal to be less middle of the road. You might not be enamoured at first glance/listen, but I think that you will hear things that you like, or even love. Because one thing is without any doubt at all; the music of WOLVES DON’T SLEEP is really heavy and the production on “Fears & Fractures” is really thunderous.