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Staff IconWolf Eyes - Human Animal (Cover Artwork)

Wolf Eyes

Human Animal (2006)
Sub Pop Records

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Contributed by: Anchors
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Published on August 19th 2008


Somewhere, hiding, in the deep, dark recesses of music, lie Wolf Eyes. Throwing any semblance of reason or song structure out the window, Sub Pop's most unique band is harsh and wholly unpredictable. Blurring the lines between music and noise, Wolf Eyes cacophonous effort, Human Animal, is nothing if not an experience.

The album begins in a dark and brooding fashion. Picture yourself, at night, in an abandoned warehouse -- inside the vast metal expanses, noise is everywhere. A clang of metal, a heavy thud and the slow shimmering of the snare drum echoing throughout, these are the sounds of "A Million Years," a song that pushes listeners to use their imagination, to fill in those blank spaces on their own.

"Rationed Rot" has just as sinister of a feel; beginning with a gradually loudening beep and a slow, gradually loudening pound to the base drum, the song moves through spats of feedback, random electronic noises and spoken word delivered with no emphasis, no change in tone.

The track becomes darker by the minute.

Electronic noises pick up in volume and frequency, those hollow sounds of a warehouse return from "A Million Years," all adding up to make for a genuinely chilling atmosphere. This is not something you'd want to listen to at night when alone in a house -- the unsettling noises really do begin to play tricks on the mind.

On the title track, "Human Animal," Wolf Eyes show a much more volatile side of the band. Thick, pulsating bass lines and thumping drums set the base on which indistinguishable vocals and wave after wave of crackling feedback sit. It's almost uncomfortable to listen to, but before the combination of vocals and feedback prove to be too much, the band slowly scales them back before building up again. The drums get louder and louder, the noises more and more random until finally it all subsides, awash in the same feedback that punctuated the track all the way through.

Let there be no mistake -- Human Animal is not, by any means, an easy listen. It is though, an opportunity for the listener to use his or her imagination. When I listened, I immediately saw, and was in that hollow, bleak warehouse. You may listen and be somewhere different entirely.

And in that right, Wolf Eyes could not have more perfectly succeeded.



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    diplodocuscore (August 22, 2008)

    Wolf Eyes is great. If you like harsh noise from Michigan you should check out Flame Throne, because that's what we are.
    www.myspace.com/theflamethrone

    Johnny_J (August 20, 2008)

    I'm surprised that no one has complained that there are too many bands with the name "wolf" in them...

    Tudor (August 20, 2008)

    I'm glad to finally see some noise releases getting reviewed on here. The noise scene is getting bigger all the time and reminds me much of the old days of punk rock.

    Alot of DIY attitudes and alot of varied and experimental bands doing cool things. It's too bad that even so called "punks" are too close minded to give anything like this a shot.

    branden (August 19, 2008)

    i have burned mind and i dont ever listen to it, dont think ill check this one out.

    xote (August 19, 2008)

    It's about damn time this was reviewed. Now if only the stuff I sent in would be reviewed but nevermind that... This is fucking punk rock. 21st century hardcore. Henry Rollins digs noise, so none of you kids have any room to say this isn't pure punk at it's roots!

    scientistrock (August 19, 2008)

    A friend got me to go to a show on this tour. I will never listen to the album, but it was interesting to see live.

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