Introduction
After forming in 2019 Northern Ireland based band Foreignwolf are back with new EP Merely Mortal! The band are known for their huge riffs, honest lyrics and powerful delivery.
Going into Merely Mortal, I had no expectations as I intentionally made this my first taste of Foreignwolf’s music. What you get is something that hits you hard, not only musically but also emotionally. I also found myself at times picking apart the finer details after the dust had settled. Let’s get into the review and the music!
Review
Tyrant
The first thing that hits me is a riff that creates a scattering effect in my head. It feels spacious and I just know if I heard it in a big open room it would come alive. The drum and bass kick in and there is then a solid cohesion in the opening where everything falls into place.
I was caught off guard by the vocals, I was not expecting them to be harsh. But what actually stood out to me was the clarity, being able to make out the lyrics is a battle you must always win. The vocal stylings tweak partway through that leads you down the path into a manacing riff section. A real standout moment of the track.
“I will dance with the devil, living inside my brain”
There’s real musicianship here, even if its sometimes hidden slightly by the onslaught of heaviness. I want to know how they manage to make the drums feel so MASSIVE. The only reason not to headbang to this is because you’ve already blown your eardrums.
Hollow
There is a different opening here, slightly more subdued and clean vocals. I would say that they still do the job, especially as the backing vocals later in the song. But overall not as strong as the harsher vocals at least on this outing. What they do however add is a real contrast which rounds things out nicely.
“Stuck inside the cycle” is the point of the song where it comes alive, once that line hits the song erupts. The reason why it hits you like a coiled viper though is the well executed build up from the vocals and layered instrumentation.
There’s something about this band that reminds me of Alexisonfire. I cannot quite pinpoint exactly what it is, but it’s there, sitting in the back of my mind the whole time. That is no bad thing!
At around 2:25 this track moves into a filthy bass heavy riff and drum combo before a whispered vocal section that is done just right. With echo effects that feel eerie but never forced.
However the very last riff on the song I find somewhat annoying. It’s not a dealbreaker in the slightest but it reminds me of a mosquito flying around your head. Some won’t notice this, alas I did.
Imposter Syndrome
Boy oh boy this one wastes no time at all and it comes straight at you right out the gates instrumentally and I like that. I like that alot! The screamed vocals alongside the riffs are done perfectly here. It’s tight, it’s clear and more importantly it does not fall into the trap of mudding the mix. So many fall foul of that.
I like the moment where the vocals sit somewhere between harsh and clean, and it is something I think they should look into a bit more. The bass gets moments to shine here, and when it does, it’s great. But it also highlights something else to me, that overall on the EP it isn’t given enough of those moments.
The subject matter hits home for me as well. That feeling of imposter syndrome, whether professionally or even doing something like my reviews, it’s always there in some form.
Let’s talk about the fade-out. Do we really need 15 seconds of it? It is not used elsewhere on the EP, and it sticks out because of that. I have to be honest I listened to this EP around 5 times and after the first listen the end of the track got skipped because of it.
Resolve
Where have these clean vocals been hiding? This is easily the strongest showing of them, and when the harsh vocals come in, the combination works brilliantly. The balance here feels right, and the song benefits massively from it.
Structurally, this feels like the most complete track on the EP. If I were picking a single, it would be this without hesitation. The instrumentation is not as relentlessly heavy as elsewhere, but everything sits exactly where it should, and the flow is better because of it.
That slightly lighter feel gives you room to breathe, to actually take in what is being said. It feels like the kind of track you would drop into the middle of a set as a palate cleanser, and it would work.
It might feel like I have less to say about this track, I don’t it’s just because all the good parts of the other songs are present here too. This is really damn great.
Final Thoughts
What stands out most across Merely Mortal is how clear Foreignwolf’s strengths already are, even this early on. The harsh vocals are consistently strong and, more importantly, understandable. That clarity does a lot of heavy lifting, and while there are moments where it is dialled up for emotional effect, it feels like something worth holding onto rather than drifting away from.
The clean vocals are a little less consistent, but the blueprint is there. When they are delivered like they are on Resolve, they elevate everything around them and create a much stronger balance within the song. Leaning further in that direction would only sharpen their overall sound.
Instrumentally, the band thrives on ferocity. The in-your-face approach rarely feels misplaced, and there is a real sense of intent behind how everything is put together. The guitars bring both weight and memorability, the drums feel huge throughout, and that alone gives the EP a sense of impact that a lot of bands struggle to achieve. The bass, on the other hand, feels like an untapped strength. Every time it cuts through, it proves how effective it can be, which only makes its absence in other moments more noticeable.
If there is anything that disrupts the experience, it is small structural choices rather than anything fundamental. The use of a long fade-out on Imposter Syndrome feels out of step with the rest of the EP and breaks the momentum slightly. When the energy is this immediate and direct, it feels better to keep things moving rather than easing out of them.
Overall, Merely Mortal is heavy, confident, and full of potential. At its best, it shows a band that already understands what makes them work; the next step is simply leaning into those strengths more consistently.
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