Metal music comes in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes you have bands with mostly clean vocals, like Demon Hunter; other times you get a blend of harsh and clean vocals, like Wolves at the Gate; and sometimes you get bands with only harsh vocals. Wolves at the Gate has proven themselves admirable in being one of the big highlights from Solid State Records over the past four full-length studio albums.

On their latest label release, Eulogies, "Shadows" starts the album as a satisfying opener with progressive guitars fading in. The lyrics are very insightful as well, "These ghosts grab my throat saying this would be all / I'd ever know of life, know of hope / All I'd ever know of light / The night fell upon me like the swell of a wave / Until the daybreak sparked the words of light / To turn and face the sun now." The next song, "Peace That Starts the War," focuses on the constant battle one has with doubt, "These voices fight for their life they're claiming / Help is retreating / you are lost, all alone, with a hope that's dead and conquered." As a very catchy third track, "Kiss the Wave" has a "Bleed It Out" (Linkin Park) vibe in the way the song strums along. Wolves always seems to provide an uplifting anthem on their albums, like their newest, "Light & Fire." Steve Cobucci's vocals deliver a convincing emotion that pulls the listener in with lines like, "Can you see the lights and fire fall? / burning down till nothing's left at all / sifting through the wreck and ashes, oh / Listen and you'll hear the love that calls." Fans should be very pleased with the title track and "Weight of Glory" as they both have a very classic Wolves feel to them, similar to songs found on Captors and VxV.

This album never slows down and has a nice stream of songs that continues with "Deadweight," which focuses on eradicating pride and concentrating on the important things in life, like your relationship with God. "No Tomorrow" is a standout ballad that echoes songs that were more prevalent in the early 2000s. The energy is certainly not wasted in the unforgettable "White Flag." The fast-paced rhythm elicits the sound of "Vapors" from their EP, We are the Ones.

The album closes with some very thought-provoking songs, "Embracing Accusation" and "Silent Anthem." "Embracing Accusation" has a very noteworthy twist in the song as it expresses that Satan is constantly providing interests in a person's life and it appears as though he has power. However, in the end, the song asserts, "He's forgotten the refrain, Jesus saves / He redeemed me from the curse of the law." The epic closer, "Silent Anthem" is a very haunting yet uplifting song that's almost a borderline praise and worship song, lyrically. The lyrics resonate, "My heart still echoes the words you burned inside that are endless / the anthem of heaven / But if you silence this song the rocks will cry out /the anthem of heaven."

Wolves at the Gate provides some of the most compelling and impressive songwriting ever on their newest release. In a world where singles and small EPs are becoming more common, it's quite an experience to have a band like Wolves at the Gate drop a nice 13-track album that keeps the listener absorbed and satisfied. Eulogies is easily one of the finest albums this year that no metal or hard rock fan should be without in their library.