Album review: The Virgin Wolves’ Pretty Evil Things will have you begging for mercy

With gritted teeth and a crooked smile, the Virgin Wolves deliver a polished debut album.

Denton’s own The Virgin Wolves have finally been able to wrap up their first full-length debut Pretty Evil Things with a little help from their friends. They created a donation site in November to help fund the mixing and recording of the album, which ends today. The album releases Friday, December 21.

The sinister rockers have been causing a scene across the Dallas-Fort Worth area since 2008, introducing their gutsy blues-infused rock to club audiences and at small festivals. The 11-track record’s raw energy and surprisingly consistent vision is something to be proud of, especially for a young band.

The album’s first single, “Black Sheep,” jumps right out of the gate with a wailing guitar that’ll make you think they’ve been at it for years. Guitarists Chase Robbins and Carson Coldiron tag-team the heavy lifting, always there to challenge vocalist Jaimeson Robbins’ dismal vocals. They’ve already released a video for “Black Sheep,” which you can check out below.

thevirginwolves.com

The vocal variety on this record is pretty astounding, given that up until now they relied on Robbins for the gut-punching chords. “End of the Line” is an example: The backup soprano gracefully trails behind the deeper dominating vocals for a rare feminine touch.

But forget the sweet talk, the snarling band tells it like it is with a hearty slap in the face when it comes to lyrics. Picture Alanis Morissette screaming the blues in a dark dive bar. Closing track “Vagabonds” paints this scene with a relaxed electric tone that lurks behind eccentric drums and stunning guitar solos, making for a song reminiscent of a warm, drunken night on Bourbon Street.

The most savory aspect of The Virgin Wolves is the fact that they can blare the volume on song after song, all backtalk and sass, and then flip it with a sexy, menacing number like “Lies.” This slowed track stops the rapid up tempo of Pretty Evil Things to a screeching halt, proving they can produce something other than raging numbers.

After hearing the album all the way through, we instantly added it to the regular shuffle of our current favorites and set out to see them live again soon. That’s one other dire component you can’t overlook with these guys – their live shows actually stand up to the record’s hype. Check out their fundraising website.