It’s safe to say that there aren’t a ton of smaller metalcore bands from the early 2010’s that are still around. Whether it be the financial strain, the rigors of touring, or the evolution of the sound over the course of a decade, many local bands petered out for some reason or another. That isn’t the case for A Scent Like Wolves, who have held steadfast since their inception in 2010 and are arguably in their peak as 2024 has hit. Off the heels of 2021’s Mystic Auras, the metalcore group is set to release their newest offering, Distant Dystopia. After all these years, does the band still have it?
With something of a throwback sound, A Scent Like Wolves don’t necessarily adhere to the modern metalcore stylings that their contemporaries show en masse. Instead of interspersed trap beats and copy/paste song structure, Distant Dystopia is more keen on synthesizer backings and thall guitar riffs. The result is a satisfying blend that would fit right in with ERRA and Invent Animate, which makes sense as A Scent Like Wolves got Jesse/JT from the former to feature in Mystic Auras and Marcus Vic shows up on Distant Dystopia’s “Interstellar”. Tack on production from a veritable dream team of Carson Slovak and Grant McFarland and it’s a winning formula.
Even if I can’t help but think of ERRA/IA in the grand scheme of Distant Dystopia, one can’t have enough of a good thing; it brings me back to hearing Blueshift’s prog-metalcore opus in Voyager. Harmonies between both the guitar lines and vocalists across most songs makes for a unique dynamic that gives A Scent Like Wolves some much-needed it-factor. It’s a metalcore record where the soaring choruses resonate just as much as the riffs do, and no member is far behind the other. There’s some standout moments too, like the short-but-sweet “Starship”s frantic BPM or bringing in a curveball with ZOMBIESHARK! on “Reach Into Hell”. Vocals go unreasonably hard in interlude “Halcyon” as well, as there’s a lot of talent full-realized on this LP.
There’s a lot to love on A Scent Like Wolves’ Distant Dystopia. Right on par with Mystic Auras, there’s no songs that drag or feel like filler across the entire album. I’d love to hear the group wear their inspirations on their sleeves a little less, but like I said, if it sounds like a band I can’t get enough of, that’s hardly a problem for a casual listener. Despite the band’s long tenure, A Scent Like Wolves still feels underrated as the tight production and ample songwriting makes for a nice metalcore playthrough that should saddle in with the genre’s current greats. Here’s hoping more ears flock to A Scent Like Wolves with Distant Dystopia.
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