Die About It

BAD WOLVES are back with their third album, “Die About It”, the second with vocalist Daniel “DL” Laskiewicz, formerly of THE ACACIA STRAIN, who joined the band after a messy split in 2021 with original lead vocalist, Tommy Vext. While the band’s lineup has changed slightly since their inception and home run cover version of with THE CRANBERRIES‘ song “Zombie”, Laskiewicz presents the kind of thick, power vocals that fill the void left by Vext with a similar enough sound to keep the band’s brand intact.

BAD WOLVES begin “Die About It” with a roughly one-minute intro track, offering delicate, acoustic guitars under Laskiewicz‘s melancholy vocals. While things start off soft, that changes the second “Bad Friend” kicks in. This is a pummeling, explosive metal track bringing some of the heaviest music BAD WOLVES have delivered to date. Here, Doc Coyle‘s guitars are sharp and shrilling, with almost a noise-metal sound, as they bash away in the introduction and step back when Laskiewicz‘s melodic singing comes in. Thematically, the song is about finding out someone you thought was a friend is a traitor, and Laskiewicz gets that point across well with his angsty delivery.

As the album continues, the listener is treated to plenty of variety. “Hungry For Life” has a deep electronic vibe. Elsewhere, “Legends Never Die” is a straight-ahead hard rocker, which sounds more like BAD WOLVES‘ earlier work than the rest of this set.

Later, “Masquerade” starts off with choppy, fast-paced riffs before launching into a full-fledged melodic metal anthem. As Laskiewicz calls into question what others believe him to be, his soaring vocals bring to mind SEVENDUST‘s Lajon Witherspoon. Another highlight comes from “It’s You (2 Months)” , featuring female vocalist KILLBOY, who adds some Lacey Sturm-like textures to the mix.

“Die About It” is a passionate, grounded set from a band that seems to still be forming its identity. Laskiewicz really is a solid fit for BAD WOLVES, both in the studio and on the stage, and it’ll be interesting to see how this band matures and evolves going forward.