The Wolves Are Here Again

Philadelphia is a city that generally receives more national attention for R&B and hip-hop than for rock. As a rule, the Philly rock scene doesn't enjoy the sort of national publicity that Jill Scott, the Roots, Beanie Sigel, and Eve (all Philly artists) have enjoyed. Nonetheless, there is plenty of rock activity in the Pennsylvania city, and the Deadly are among the many rock bands that came out of Philly in the early 2000s. The Deadly's specific area of rock is hardcore; The Wolves Are Here Again, their first full-length album, packs a noisy, abrasive hardcore/alternative rock punch that doesn't fall into either the metalcore or screamo categories. The Philadelphians aren't as punishing as metalcore skull crushers like Hatebreed, Rotten Sound, Throwdown, and Brick Bath, but punk-drenched offerings such as "We Are the Technology," "Sick, Sick, Sick," and "Danger Endanger" aren't exactly easy listening either; The Wolves Are Here Again is blistering, although it doesn't have the type of suffocating density that characterized so many ferocious metalcore bands that emerged in the late '90s and early 2000s. Nor does this 2004 recording have the screamo/post-hardcore/melodic hardcore perspective of From Autumn to Ashes, Hopesfall, Nora, or Hopesfall. Instead, the Deadly are more likely to get inspiration from the Melvins — and they have a spastic, reckless sort of energy that has hints of old-school '80s punk bands like Black Flag and early T.S.O.L. (although this album is much heavier). The Wolves Are Here Again is mildly uneven, but on the whole, it is a likeable demonstration of the fact that 21st century hardcore bands are not obligated to provide either metalcore or screamo.