Review Summary: This is not a Joy Division tribute album.
If there's one thing to be said about d-beat/crust punk is that the genre has a tendency to rely on it's formula too much sometimes. Which is why
A New Dawn Fades in a sense is so refreshing. Yes all the traditional elements are there but they are done right without any of the drawbacks that albums of this ilk usually suffer from. Despite a few near misses, the majority of this album's material all rely on the strengths of Wolfpack's sound; harmonised leads; erratic, bluesy soloing; rhythmic, melodic, bar riffing and quick tempo changes. Simple stuff yet used incredibly effectively, it's repetitive without being repetitive, simplistic without being trite and aggressive without sounding contrived. Combine this with a vocalist who sounds like the local drunk violating a bear whilst having a mental breakdown and you have a recipe for success. This album is crust-punk done right; aggressive, taught and occasionally epic. There's probably other clichéd metaphors I could use about the effects of this album (headbanging, ball-breaking) but I can't be arsed. Suffice to say this is Wolfpack's best album and this is how it should be done. Drink at your leisure.
Choice cuts:
Outlaw Vagabond
Predator
Living Hell
