The Grey Wolves "Division" CD
[Tesco]
Finally the new full-length from The Grey Wolves sees the light of day. I've lost count of how long this record has been in the works, but it feels like I've been hearing about it forever. Newer and longtime fans alike may be somewhat surprised (though not necessarily disappointed) to discover that the group is as rugged and raw as ever. Time has not taken their sounds into a cleaner, more polished direction (not that using such terms in regards to power electronics is common, but I think you know what I mean). Now, I for one feel that perhaps this material would be more interesting or atmospheric were even slightly more refined recording techniques used to achieve a clearer, smoother sound that might let more of the details come to the surface, but in fact this disc sounds quite primal, and I would go so far as to drag out the ol' "lo-fi" descriptor in regards to the overall sound quality. Much of it actually sounds as though it could have been recorded at a live performance, if you've ever heard any of the Wolves' live recordings in the past. "Blood Zone" is the first track that brings in their patented vocal delivery over a strange hum and various layers of thick rumbles and hisses, but a lot of the tracks tend to keep away from that, favoring samples mixed in amongst the textures, whereas "A Crime to Hate" uses tons of rhythmic loops and incredibly harsh feedback with totally indecipherable vocals under tons of distorted effects. I have to be honest though, around midway through the disc it becomes apparent to me that I have a significant problem with the sound quality. A lot of the samples are hard to hear because of the dirtiness of the midrange, a few tracks, such as opener "Divisive Influence", mix samples too dominantly to the point where they sound overloaded and distracting... it's a bit disappointing. Among my favorites are "We Don't Care", which is stripped down and basic with more low-end and a repetitive structure that has a lot of density, vocals coming in at the end with a fittingly sarcastic bent; and "With Brutal Force", which is similarly a bit calmer and more curious. A few of the truly aggressive power electronics tracks are right in the classic vein, and I enjoy them, but I just can't appreciate them in full because I really feel like I'm merely listening to a tolerably recorded live performance. The packaging is fucking incredible, however. I knew portions would be good, but since I've found most of The Grey Wolves' forays into the world of computer artwork to be rather uninteresting, I was afraid that other elements would look tacky, but thankfully they've pulled it off without a hitch. The disc comes in a clear sleeve housed inside of a thick white box that flips open and has some black printing on the front with a coat of gloss over the icon on the cover. Inside are 12 square inserts with the group's patented controversial imagery and sloganeering on them, each with a small division icon in the bottom corner. There's also a six-panel foldout of old school black and white collaged imagery that looks somewhat similar to some of the packaging from the "Punishment" LP, and I'm very pleased to see that style back in order. It's been awhile since I've spun the first three LP's from The Grey Wolves, but I can safely say in my opinion that despite an excellent presentation and plenty of classic attitude, this is the least successful full-length The Grey Wolves have released to date. After so many years I had my hopes up for so much more... (6/10)
Running time - 62:00, Tracks: 12
[Notable tracks: We Don't Care, With Brutal Force]
The Grey Wolves - http://www.holyterror.com/greywolves/

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