VxV
| Five by Five | ||||
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| Studio album by Wolves at the Gate | ||||
| Released | June 10, 2014 | |||
| Genre | Christian metal, metalcore, post-hardcore | |||
| Length | 46:32 | |||
| Label | Solid State | |||
| Wolves at the Gate chronology | ||||
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| Professional ratings | |
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| Review scores | |
| Source | Rating |
| Allmusic |
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| Big Cheese | 8/10 |
| CCM Magazine | |
| Exclaim! | 6/10 |
| HM Magazine | |
| Indie Vision Music | |
| Jesus Freak Hideout |
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| New Release Tuesday | |
| Substream Magazine |
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Five by Five, stylized as VxV is the second studio album from Christian metal band Wolves at the Gate. The album releases on June 10, 2014 by Solid State Records. The album charted at No. 134 on the Billboard 200.
The album is the follow-up to the praiseworthy debut album Captors that released in 2012 by Solid State Records. Speaking with Reel Gospel, vocalist Steve Cobucci explained the album title is based on a military rating on signal strength and clarity, with a five by five rating being the best. He went on to state that they believe the gospel message to be the "five by five" that the band can give.
The music has been referred to as "post-hardcore and metal goodness", and "competent metalcore and post-hardcore." Also, some reviewers note the religiosity to the material on the album because "The conviction that the group brings out in their spiritual lyrics invigorates all other aspect of their music."
Some have even went as so far as to say, the band are comparable to Underoath because the music contains "intricate guitars and anthemic choruses." Furthermore, the music might be appealing to some Thrice and Thursday fans due to the "post-hardcore leanings" of the material.
VxV was met with generally positive reception from music critics. Anthony Bryant of HM Magazine rated the album four stars out of five, writing how "Wolves at the Gate has put together a worthy blend of melodic songs [...] with heart-pounding jammers [...] for a stellar release." At New Release Tuesday, Mary Nikkel rated the album four stars out of five, saying how "VxV is theologically dense and gospel-centric, emphasizing calls to repentance and redemption, frequently using strong scriptural imagery and voice overs to achieve an even stronger presentation." In addition, Nikkel observes how "The album's strength lies in its urgency, setting scruples aside in favor of raw writing focused on our desperate need for a desperately loving Savior." Brody B. of Indie Vision Music rated the album a perfect five stars, saying how the release "finds them more focused and spiritual than ever", and calls "The combination of powerful lyrics and intricate musicianship is a reckoning force." Katie Evans, writing for Big Cheese, rated the album an eight out of ten, for its enormity as "an album which sticks around way longer [than when] the stereo plays out" calling it a "certified deal clincher."
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Wikipedia