Dear Monsters
{{Use mdy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Dear Monsters
| type = studio
| artist = Bad Wolves
| cover = Bad Wolves - Dear Monsters.jpg
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|2021|10|29}}
| recorded = 2020–2021
| studio = Sparrow Sound, Glendale, California
| genre =
| length = 45:03
| label = Better Noise
| producer =
- Josh Gilbert
- John Boecklin
| prev_title = N.A.T.I.O.N.
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Sacred Kiss EP
| next_year = 2022
| misc = {{Singles
| name = Dear Monsters
| type = studio
| single1 = Lifeline
| single1date = September 7, 2021{{Cite web|title=Bad Wolves unveil Lifeline, their first single with new vocalist Daniel 'DL' Laskiewicz|url=https://www.kerrang.com/bad-wolves-unveil-lifeline-their-first-single-with-new-vocalist-daniel-dl-laskiewicz|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Kerrang!|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-09-08|title=Bad Wolves introduce 'Dear Monsters' with the first single, "Lifeline"|url=https://knotfest.com/news/bad-wolves-introduce-dear-monsters-with-the-first-single-lifeline/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Knotfest|language=en}}
| single2 = If Tomorrow Never Comes
| single2date = October 28, 2021{{Cite web|date=2021-10-29|title=BAD WOLVES Drop Music Video For 'If Tomorrow Never Comes'|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bad-wolves-drop-music-video-for-if-tomorrow-never-comes/|access-date=2021-12-04|website=Blabbermouth.net}}
| single3 = Sacred Kiss
| single3date = July 29, 2022
}}
}}
Dear Monsters is the third studio album by the American heavy metal band Bad Wolves. It was released on October 29, 2021 through Better Noise Music and was produced by Josh Gilbert.{{cite web|url=https://www.blabbermouth.net/news/bad-wolves-to-release-dear-monsters-album-in-october-first-single-lifeline-out-now/|title=BAD WOLVES To Release 'Dear Monsters' Album In October; First Single 'Lifeline' Out Now|website=Blabbermouth.net|date=September 8, 2021|accessdate=December 2, 2021}} It is the first album to feature vocalist Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz, after the departure of Tommy Vext from the band in January 2021 and the last to feature rhythm guitarist Chris Cain until his return in 2025.
Background and recording
Following the completion of their tour promoting N.A.T.I.O.N. (2019), Bad Wolves began writing music for their third studio album. In an interview in October 2020, former Bad Wolves vocalist Tommy Vext confirmed that the band had almost completed their third studio album and that they may release it six months early exclusively via Patreon.{{Cite web|url=https://www.deadpress.co.uk/interview-bad-wolves-14-10-2020/|title=Interview: Bad Wolves (14/10/2020)|date=October 30, 2020|access-date=December 3, 2021|archive-date=December 3, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211203044426/https://www.deadpress.co.uk/interview-bad-wolves-14-10-2020/|url-status=dead}} However, on January 8, 2021, Vext announced his departure from the band, with intention to launch his own solo career.{{cite news|last=Pasbani|first=Robert|date=January 9, 2021|title=Tommy Vext Reportedly Out of Bad Wolves|url=https://metalinjection.net/news/breakups/tommy-vext-reportedly-out-of-bad-wolves|url-status=live|work=Metal Injection|archive-url=https://archive.today/20210109180918/https://metalinjection.net/news/breakups/tommy-vext-reportedly-out-of-bad-wolves|archive-date=January 9, 2021|access-date=December 2, 2021}}
On June 2, 2021, Bad Wolves announced Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz had joined the band as their lead vocalist and that they were working on their third album called Dear Monsters, which they claimed would be "the best Bad Wolves album to date".{{cite web |url=https://badwolvesnation.com/blogs/news/bad-wolves-has-a-new-singer|title=We are Excited to Officially Announce That Bad Wolves Has A New Singer − Daniel 'DL' Laskiewicz|author= |date=June 2, 2021|website= |publisher= |access-date=December 2, 2021}} Laskiewicz was previously involved in the songwriting of N.A.T.I.O.N.
According to Laskiewicz, "The album [Dear Monsters] was about 60% done when I joined the band." Despite this, Laskiewicz was involved in the songwriting and helped the other band members with the completion of the remaining 40% of the album.{{Cite web|url=https://chaoszine.net/daniel-dl-laskiewicz-about-dear-monsters-the-album-was-about-60-done-when-i-joined-the-band/|title=Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz about "Dear Monsters": "The album was about 60% done when I joined the band"|author=Arto Mäenpää|date=October 26, 2021|website=chaoszine.net|access-date=December 2, 2021}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/bad-wolves-dear-monsters-interview-9654171/|title=New Singer, Seventh Top 10 Hit: Bad Wolves Share What’s Next|author=Gary Graff|date=November 2, 2021|website=Billboard|access-date=December 2, 2021}}
Release and promotion
It is supported by the singles "Lifeline" and "If Tomorrow Never Comes". Bad Wolves was originally going to promote the album as a support act on Tremonti's European tour in January 2022 but the tour was later rescheduled.{{Cite web|title=Bad Wolves on Instagram: Wolfpack! We're headed to Europe to tour with @tremontiofficial and play our new album #DearMonsters!|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/CVvdDkyvW04/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/CVvdDkyvW04 |archive-date=December 26, 2021 |url-access=registration|access-date=December 2, 2021|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}} They instead supported Papa Roach's Kill The Noise tour in March 2022.{{Cite web|title=Bad Wolves on Instagram: Better grab tickets 🐺 |url= https://www.instagram.com/p/CadLcqMPFFF/}} A deluxe edition of the album was released on October 28, 2022.
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| rev1 = Hysteria Magazine
| rev2 = Wall of Sound
}}
Dear Monsters was met with mixed to favorable reviews. KJ Draven of Wall of Sound writes "They [Bad Wolves] have written some cool heavy riffs and more melodic tracks to put together a collection that has peaks and valleys that make for a great drinkin' and singin' album… There are decent album tracks, and might even make good singles, but they don’t rock me."
Alan Ronson of Brutal Planet wrote that "Bad Wolves has proved they can not only make great music but can sustain the behemoth of the music industry and endure a change in their lineup. It takes a special kind of determination to undergo all that affliction and come out on top with an album as stunning as this. 'Dear Monsters' is an intense and passionate response to all the beasts who attempted to devour them."{{Cite web |last=Ronson |first=Alan |date=2021-10-28 |title=BAD WOLVES: Dear Monsters |url=https://brutalplanetmag.com/bad-wolves-dear-monsters/ |access-date=2021-12-05 |website=BPM |language=en-US}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Dear Monsters track listing
| title1 = Sacred Kiss
| length1 = 4:04
| title2 = Never Be the Same
| length2 = 3:50
| title3 = Lifeline
| length3 = 3:13
| title4 = Wildfire
| length4 = 3:16
| title5 = Comatose
| length5 = 4:03
| title6 = Gone
| length6 = 3:40
| title7 = On the Case
| length7 = 3:27
| title8 = If Tomorrow Never Comes
| length8 = 3:08
| title9 = Springfield Summer
| length9 = 4:16
| title10 = House of Cards
| length10 = 4:19
| title11 = Classical
| length11 = 3:33
| title12 = In the Middle
| length12 = 4:09
| total_length = 45:06
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Deluxe edition
| title13 = Mama, I'm Coming Home (Ozzy Osbourne cover)
| note14 =
| length13 = 3:50
| title14 = If Tomorrow Never Comes (featuring Spencer Charnas)
| note15 =
| length14 = 3:09
| title15 = The Body
| length15 = 3:51
| title16 = Sacred Kiss
| note16 = featuring Aaron Pauley
| length16 = 4:04
| title17 = Up in Smoke
| length17 = 4:09
| title18 = I Don't Wanna Feel
| length18 = 3:21
| title19 = Wildfire
| note19 = orchestral
| length19 = 4:03
| title20 = Sacred Kiss
| note20 = acoustic
| length20 = 2:32
| title21 = If Tomorrow Never Comes
| note21 = acoustic
| length21 = 3:14
| title22 = Lifeline
| note22 = acoustic
| length22 = 3:35
| total_length = 80:35
}}
Personnel
Bad Wolves
- Daniel "DL" Laskiewicz – lead vocals
- Doc Coyle – lead guitar, backing vocals
- Chris Cain – rhythm guitar, backing vocals
- Kyle Konkiel – bass, backing vocals
- John Boecklin – drums, percussion, producer
Production
Charts
class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for Dear Monsters ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak |
{{album chart|Germany4|83|id=487043|artist=Bad Wolves|album=Dear Monsters|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |
{{album chart|Switzerland|94|artist=Bad Wolves|album=Dear Monsters|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |
{{album chart|UKDigital|42|date=20211105|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |
{{album chart|UKIndependent|29|date=20211105|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |
{{album chart|UKRock|16|date=20211105|rowheader=true|access-date=November 8, 2023}} |