Arden and The Wolves’ Who Can You Trust Is Menacing Treat For Stone Temple Pilots & Evanescence Fans

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Photo credit: Jack Lue

Stop. Take a deep breathe. And prepare yourself. I’d tell you to sit down but chances are within seconds you’d be back on your feet anyway- falling gloriously into the luscious, dreamy hard-rocking haven of Arden and the Wolves. If you’re uninitiated, fret not; it’s only a matter of time before you become acquainted to the charisma and beautifully menacing vibe of this Los Angeles-based rock and roll phenom. If you could bottle up potential and sell it at the corner market, the name on the outside of the bottle would be Arden and the Wolves because let’s face it- few bands have as much potential while still possessing a well-crafted, originality that explodes through the speakers while listening.

In the blink of an eye it will be February 9th and you will be able to feast on the quartet’s upcoming release, Who Can You Trust? The title track, which opens up the EP- serves as not only a mission statement for the EP, but a defining moment for the band as well. The track rolls along like a slow-burner, teasing you at times while you await an eruption of melody and beautiful, honest poetic lyrics. When the song crescendos into the chorus- you get just that. Understated guitar lines (with shades of Stone Temple Pilots and Alice In Chains) drive the song forward, never letting it all out until that infectious, yearning chorus takes a hold of you and refuses to let go. The atmospheric approach is all the more impressive considering that each musician brilliant choice to hold back for the sake of the song. You can tell they can kick it way past ten right off the bat- but instead, they set the mood and let it build. Give you a little then pull back. Adding tension while creating a mood that lets that chorus hit you all the harder By perfecting this approach, each section of the song more profound. Each instrument more clearly defined. Each lyric- more intense.

Led by the mesmerizing Arden Leigh, the “Who Can You Trust” and the rest of the tracks comprising the EP are absolute burners. The recurring theme with this band is potential. Arden Leigh has the potential to follow in the long line of famed female lead singers, carry that torch and take it to even higher levels. With one line Arden’s voice will haunt you in the most beautiful way possible. Her voice lays in the mix softly yet the power and grace in which she can belt will give you goosebumps. She carries a more immediate edge than a Gwen Stefani per say but like Gwen kicked open the doors for a new generation of female rockers twenty some years ago, Arden has that ability today. And in terms of lyrics- well, she’s the real deal. Of the title track, Arden said, “I wrote Who Can You Trust when I was flirting with an artist I admired and saw them betrayed by someone close to them for publicity. It put things into perspective on how while success may be enviable it really does change your relationship to the people around you and how you choose to vet those you let into your inner sphere. Being on top of the world gives one a lot of advantages but it can also be lonely. I wanted to write a song conveying an understanding of that vulnerability from an empathic standpoint we don’t often see.”

As a music fan, there is nothing more satisfying than listening to a band that is one hundred percent in control. There is no doubt that Arden and The Wolves have achieved a level of musical supremacy most bands search for their entire career yet rarely scratch the surface of. Whatever you do, make sure to check out their fantastic new EP!