Wolves At The Gate: “Wasteland” Album Review

For years, Wolves At The Gate has dominated the Christian metal genre. Hailing from Ohio, the five piece metal band released their sixth album, Wasteland in May. This is their first venture into crafting a hard-hitting, immersive concept album, which follows a musical journey through a dystopian society while wrestling with the concept of sin. Ultimately, they find redemption and hope, while in a world filled with pain and suffering. 

I had the pleasure of seeing them live at Uprise Festival last year, where they debuted multiple songs off this record. The same energy and hard hitting messages that were felt during that performance were transcribed perfectly onto this album. They have become a mainstay in the Christian metal scene and Wasteland just adds to an already impressive catalogue

Wasteland Album Review

Tracks: 13

Length: 35 minutes

Release Date: May 30, 2025

Label: Solid State Records

The “INT[r]O” sets the dystopian tone of the album, starting with an eerie and unsettling guitar riff, leading right into hard hitting “(The Wasteland) PAIN.” It has the familiar sound of a Wolves at the Gate song, with passionate lyrics crafted by both Nick and Steve pouring themselves into writing this first song. I love the line: 

“Why are we shocked by the dark of this age? Hearts made for beauty are poisoned with rage…Against our Maker, we’re poisoned with rage.” 

This song shines a mirror on the state of our current society. We have drifted away from God and His true purpose. This theme weaves throughout the entire album, the idea that living without God, living in sin, is comparable to living in a wasteland.  The album continues with “Parasite", a heavy guitar and dynamic vocal driven track.  Just like “(The Wasteland) PAIN,” the well crafted lyrics drive home the grim wasteland/sin comparison.

When I heard the song “Synthetic Sun” for the first time, I almost thought it was a Linkin Park song. From the drum-heavy intro to the grungy guitar riffs, this is sure to get the crowd moving in live concerts!  There were times when I was impressed with the quick-fire pacing of Nick’s screams to match Steve’s melody, which seemed to draw comparisons to Chester and Mike of Linkin Park.

To keep the listener immersed in their dystopian world, Wolves At The Gate uses interludes to connect songs. “Wandering,” “Withering,” “Wasting,” and "Wanting” are instrumentals filled with dystopian synths, reminiscent of an end-of-the-world sci-fi movie. Along with these electronic samples, spoken word portions help push the storyline through from song to song. 

Progressing through Wasteland, “Law of the (Waste) Land” will definitely get the pit moving in their live shows. Whether you like old fashioned moshing or getting in a little two-step hardcore dancing, the dynamic riffs and double bass would suit either fancy. “Smoke (False Devils)” and “Death Clock” are fast paced songs that showcase the musical and lyrical talent that WATG offers. The driven basslines and melodic riffs will be sure to have you headbanging along. These songs translate very well from a recorded album to live concerts. Aside from the musical talent, the lyrics that Steve writes makes you ponder and question what you’re doing with your life.

Moving towards the end of the album, the constant message leading up to this point is how can there be any hope in this wasteland? Where is the good amongst the destruction? We are self-destructive and in need of something to believe in. “Wasting” brings the transition in the theming with the spoken word, “another voice sings a chorus of hope.” This leads into “Memento Mori,” which is a passionate plea for the gospel.

“You could never go too far away from the hands that hold our sorrows. You feel the walls closing in, but you are not alone.” 

Every time I’ve seen WATG live, Steve has always given a passionate plea for people to turn to the gospel and devoting their lives to Jesus Christ. This is the mission and vision of WATG, to see people come to know Christ and have Him change everything about their life. The album ends with “Unrest.” From the opening scream to Steve’s smooth voice, this song starts out aggressively to smoothing out, as if the listener was caught in the struggle between leaving and going back to the wasteland. I love the lines in this song about the hope that we find in Christ: 

“Come out of the wasteland. I’ll take you by my hand. I know your heart is pressed. So come to me and find your rest.” 

We’re not perfect. We still struggle. But, God knows this and He is there for us. In the moments when we struggle, those are moments we need to reach out to God and ask for help.

Overall, Wasteland is one of the best records of the year. Wolves at the Gate is unapologetically passionate about what they believe in. They’re not pushy, but they certainly want you to know that they believe in God, while offering that hope to others. In this album, Steve and Nick prove why they are incredible writers. Each song packs a punch, encouraging us to examine ourselves and our willingness to allow the Holy Spirit to come in and change our lives.

If you get a chance this fall, they’re setting out on tour with Emery for select dates, so catch them on the road. Be sure to take the time to listen to this album, because every single second is worth listening to! It’s got everything, from distorted riffs that make you want to move, to grooves that will get you bouncing. They took a risk with a concept album and it paid off perfectly! I would give this album 5 out of 5 stars. Great lyrics, great music, great concept. Loved every single minute of it!

Confessions Of A Traitor: ‘This Pain Will Serve You’ Album Review

A lot has happened for Confessions Of A Traitor (COAT), a 4-piece U.K. metal band, since their 2019 viral “Breakfast Breakdowns” video, where they screamed lyrics over pancakes & sausage for patrons of a local Romanian restaurant. They were signed to Facedown Records, released two albums and toured across the U.S. & U.K. They recently wrapped up a summer tour with Bloodlines, Meadows and No Treaty, supporting their latest release, This Pain Will Serve You.

Just dropped in May, this metalcore album features 11 tracks and multiple contributors, ranging from Tommy Green, of HolyName, Trevor Tyson, of Heal The Hurt, to the nu-metal sounds of fellow Brits, Black Coast. This is their sophomore release on Facedown, following Punishing Me Before God Does.

The Pain Will Serve You Album Review

Tracks: 11

Length: 36 minutes

Release Date: May 16, 2025

Label: Facedown Records

Since its release in May, The Pain Will Serve You has been the go-to Christian metal album of the summer. The band uses haunting melodies and gritty lyrics to draw the listener into a deeper dialogue about grief, religious abuse, and self-worth, while maintaining a message of hope and redemption. The album starts off strong with its first three tracks, “Starve,” “Fatal Frame” and “Doomsayer.” From the very first note, “Starve” serves as a great introduction to this album: fast, aggressive and shares a great message of perseverance.

“Through trials, your strength will shine through and one day this pain will serve you.”

As soon as the last notes of “Starve” fade, the album flows right into “Fatal Frame,” which packs the same punch as “Starve.” These two songs help set the stage for the rest of the album, with its fast pacing and gut-wrenching lyrics. Confessions of a Traitor doesn’t seem to want to slow down, with the guitars pushing through and the breakdowns at the end of this song compelling you to headbang, no matter where you are.

Another highlight of the album is “Still Haunted.” This song features the clean vocals of Tommy Green from Sleeping Giant and HolyName along with the scream vocals of Trevor Tyson of Heal The Hurt. I would describe it as a Beauty & Beast song. You have the gentle and soft, clean vocals from Tommy paired with the harsh screams of both Trevor and Stephen. I couldn’t stop playing this song on repeat!

“Hail Mary” grabbed my attention with it’s deep and painful meaning. It’s unfortunate that we live in a broken world. While the church is supposed to be a safe space, there are those who do harm under the name of Christianity. In this song, Convictions Of A Traitor goes after those who abuse, but hide behind the name of God. To tackle this heavy topic, they called in the guys from Convictions to assist with brutal screams and heavy riffs.

The last two songs I want to point out on this record are “Let It Consume Me” and “The Sins I’ve Yet to Answer For.” I enjoyed the synth at the beginning of “Let It Consume Me” as it offered something different from the rest of the album. What really caught my attention, besides the contribution of Leroy Hamp (War of Ages), were the lyrics:

“Created in his image, but I despise mine. This is sacrilege of the divine. Within this battle, I’ll find self affection. You’ll never see the hate I hold within, I’m a hostage in my skin.”

Those lyrics pull no punches, with the message focused on how often we hate ourselves. We put ourselves lowly and wonder “how could God love us?” But this key moment creates the transition to “The Sins I’ve Yet to Answer For.” The song continues the message from “Let It Consume Me” with a strong focus on our shortcomings. But at the end of the song, Stephen screams, 

“My heavy heart, rotten to the core. With these sins I’ve yet to answer for. From a wretch’s cry, forgiveness hails. One cross, three nails.” 

Great way to end a song - to go from utter rottenness to a chance for redemption!

Overall, this was a fantastic album to listen to. If you’re looking for an album to rock out to while you’re at the gym or if you just need a good headbanging, this is that album! A great follow-up to their Facedown debut. There were moments of high energy and moments where they would slow things down, like the opening to “Doomslayer.” Each song brought its own momentum that continued to build upon itself and put together one of the best albums of the year. 

My one critique is while there were many highs, there were some songs that were indistinguishable from each other. This is a common thread in metal, where songs tend to run together, but there were definitely some stand out moments in this album. All in all, I’m giving This Pain Will Serve You a 4 out of 5 stars.

Check out Confessions of a Traitor

To dive deeper into Confessions of a Traitor, check out their website, or look them up on Instagram or Facebook.