This week, North Carolina metalcore quintet To Speak of Wolves will be releasing their sophomore album, Find Your Worth, Come Home. We had the chance to chat with new frontman Gage Speas about the process of writing the new album, music videos, and more.

Brooks Ginnan (CRR): You guys are on a headlining tour right now, how has that been going for you?
Gage Speas (To Speak of Wolves): It's been a ton of fun! We got to hang with our label mates Wolves At The Gate for a few days. Plus Harp and Lyre are good buds of ours, so it's always fun touring with those dudes. Also, we've been playing some new songs and kids seem to be liking them so that's great.


CRR: The new album is out this week, how long has it been in the works since you joined the band?
Gage: Well, we were working ideas and stuff for a while, probably like six months or so. As soon as I joined the band, I started writing lyrics for the record. So by the time we got in the studio, I had a lot to choose from and work with.


CRR: Lyrically. how much of an emotional process was it to write Find Your Worth, Come Home?
Gage: That's a great question. Some songs were a lot harder to record than others. There were times I'd be tracking vocals and balling my eyes out. I really wanted to open myself up. I wanted to be honest. I feel like a lot of music today is lacking honesty and passion. When we were in the studio, all I did was work on lyrics. I took old journals with me so I could go back to that time in my life of being broken.


CRR: How was it to have both Micah (of Oh, Sleeper) and Levi the Poet on the album?
Gage: Dude, it was a dream come true! I worked for Oh, Sleeper before I joined To Speak of Wolves. Those dudes got me in the band. Micah is a big brother to me and is my spiritual mentor. So to have him write a song with me was so awesome. Levi and I pretty much grew up together. I used to sleep on his floor, haha. It's been awesome to watch each other's careers grow. For him and his sister Bree to open themselves up for that song was a huge blessing. Suicide is never an easy thing to talk. They made that song what it is.


CRR: What do you hope a new fan or first time listen gets out of hearing Find Your Worth?
Gage: I hope they feel connected to it in some way. I want people to hear the passion in the music. Today, most bands sing about how much they hate girls or how tough they are or what ever. I don't want to put people down with my music, I want to rebuild people.


CRR: The first of the two concept music videos that were released (for "Je Suis Fini") had an interesting story line. Can you elaborate on the significance between the concept and the two songs chosen for the videos?
Gage: The director thought of the idea for the videos. He presented it to us and we thought it was awesome! We picked the two songs because we thought they show both extremes of the record.


CRR: Any last things you'd like to mention about To Speak of Wolves in the coming months?
Gage: Yeah dude, we are playing a bunch of festivals this year. Also, we are on the last half of Scream the Prayer, so I'm really excited about all of that! Come hang out and stage dive with us! Thanks for your time.

Artist: To Speak of Wolves
Album: Find Your Worth, Come Home
Release Date: May 17, 2012
Label: Solid State Records

There's a feeling that some get while listening to a new album that holds greatness; hope for a band that fit all the pieces into place to create something of a magnum opus, packed with an emotional intensity and well crafted music to capture attention. I had this feeling on my first listen of Find Your Worth, Come Home, the sophomore release from the North Carolina quintet, To Speak of Wolves. If you're not familiar with the band, they play a form of metalcore (if you can even call it that), that isn't quite as abundant these days, with sounds of quick, punk-esque drumming, ferocious, feeback-laden riffs, and vocals, from new vocalist Gage Speas, that range from commanding growls to clean vocals that break the mold of high and whiny, drawing comparisons to bands such as Underoath, The Chariot, and Norma Jean. That's only the start.

Find Your Worth, Come Home is noticeably different from the band's debut, Myself < Letting Go, and it's not only because of their new vocalist. The band have shifted their sound, making it more cohesive, keeping the melody in a way that flows better with the aggressive sections. This is show particularly well in "Je Suis Fini" and "Dialysis Dreams," which are two of the album's most memorable songs. A different route is taken on "A Simple Thought That Changed Everything," which is filled with strictly clean vocals in a heavy, ambient rock setting, while "Oregon" feels like Balance & Composure mixed with Underoath, a combination that works well, giving the listener a breather from the frantic tempo of the majority of the album.


"Hivemind" and "Stand Alone Complex" kick off the album with a fiery passion, never really letting up on their energy, and when transferred to a live setting, are only guaranteed to have the audience in a sweaty frenzy. The aforementioned "Dialysis Dreams" is an emotional trip, and is an extremely relatable song for those who have faced the loss of friends or family, the theme also being tied into the closer, "Rearview Memories," which features Levi the Poet and his sister Bree Macallister, both who convey the emotions behind the loss of their father, truly touching stuff.

Overall: Find Your Worth, Come Home is a story of life, struggle, and ultimately redemption, and is written in such a poignant way that really tugs on the heart strings. While it's only their second release, To Speak of Wolves have truly crafted an album that shows musicianship and a maturity that surpasses their few year span as a band. Vocalist Gage Speas displays great versatility again and again, backed by frenetic instrumentation (a la Norma Jean or Underoath) that has become less and less widespread in the current state of the heavy music scene. Look for To Speak of Wolves to make big waves in 2012, and far beyond.

Rating: 9.5/10

Reviewed by Brooks Ginnan

Tracklisting:

1. Hivemind
2. Stand Alone Complex (featuring Micah Kinard)
3. Vertigo
4. Broken Birds
5. A Simple Thought That Changed Everything
6. Nostalgia Seeds
7. Je Suis Fini
8. Oregon
9. Dialysis Dreams
10. Voidwaker
11. Rearview Memories (featuring Levi the Poet and Bree Macallister)

(Buy Here)

To Speak of Wolves have released their new music video for "Je Suis Fini," which can be viewed below. The video is based on the concept of Plato's Allegory of the Cave, and the second part of the story will be released in another upcoming video. To Speak of Wolves' new album, Find Your Worth, Come Home, will be available in stores and online on May 22nd through Solid State Records.

TO SPEAK OF WOLVES Debut 'Hivemind' at Revolver


Third track premiered from sophomore album, Find Your Worth, Come Home


Available in stores and online May 22 on Solid State Records


Spring U.S. headlining tour announced


May 2, 2012 -  With their ferocious new album, Find Your Worth, Come Home - set to drop in just under three weeks, North Carolina hard rock rioters TO SPEAK OF WOLVES are set to premiere another hard-hitting song - the album's leadoff track, "Hivemind," streaming now exclusively via heavy music tastemaker Revolver.

Listen to 'Hivemind' at RevolverMag.com now:
http://www.revolvermag.com/news/to-soeak-of-wolves-premiere-new-song-tktk.html

"'Hivemind' was the last song we wrote for the record," explains drummer Phil Chamberlain. "In fact, we actually wrote it in the studio after we were done arranging the rest of the songs on the album. We wanted a song that was fast and a little chaotic, but also short and sweet to open the record, and that became 'Hivemind.' Lyrically, the song is about coming from a broken home and wanting to make everything better, but you can't."

Fans can get a chance to preview the band's new material on TO SPEAK OF WOLVES' U.S. headlining tour, set to kick off in just a few days. Presented by Evolve Over Hate clothing and Substream Music Press, the tour stretches from May 4-June 2 with support from HARP & LYRE. Joining the bands on select dates are Solid State label mates WOLVES AT THE GATE (May 8-14), as well as FALLSTAR (May 18-21), LIONS! TIGERS! BEARS! (May 22-26), and SET THE SUN (May 28-Jun 2).

Find Your Worth, Come Home sees the band's revitalized lineup reaching into darker, heavier and faster territory. The sophomore album is follow-up to TO SPEAK OF WOLVES' heralded 2010 debut, Myself < Letting Go, which catapulted the band onto the national stage with its road-rash riffage and soaring, arena-worthy choruses. Relentless touring alongside likeminded bands such as UNDER0ATH, AUGUST BURNS RED and BETWEEN THE BURIED AND ME underscored the fact that the Greensboro, NC quintet were a force to be reckoned with. The band quickly became a beacon within the hard rock and metalcore scene, despite – or perhaps because of – their unwillingness to become yet another facsimile spewing forth endless breakdowns and Auto-Tuned choruses. TO SPEAK OF WOLVES refused to do either, and fans loved them all the more for it. While fans will continue love those same aspects of the band's musical personality, Find Your Worth is an album of rediscovery, one that freshly stamps what TO SPEAK OF WOLVES is about, from its title on down.

Now, driven by the dominating vocal presence of Speas, TO SPEAK OF WOLVES are ready to blow the doors wide open. “This record is something that we're incredibly proud of," Chamberlain says. "We couldn't be more stoked and proud of what we've created with this album. We are excited and can't wait to share it with everyone!"

Evolve Over Hate & Substream Music Press Present: 
Find Your Worth Tour with TO SPEAK OF WOLVES, HARP & LYRE
May 6 Richmond, VA @ Kingdom
May 7 Lexington, KY @ The Aura
May 8 Goshen, IN @ The Goshen Theater *
May 10 Chicago Ridge, IL @ Bobby Mcgee's *
May 11 St Louis, MO@ Cicero's *
May 12 Joplin, MO @ Solace w/Harp & Lyre *
May 14 Wichita, KS @ Eagles Lodge *
May 17 Boise, ID @ The Venue
May 18 Centralia, WA @ Quesadilla Factory **
May 20 Camas, WA @ Revolution Room **
May 23 Las Vegas, NV @ The Sanctuary ***
May 25 Canoga Park, CA @ Cobalt Cafe ***
May 27 Albuquerque, NM @ Amped Performance Center
May 28 Amarillo, TX @ Vintin ****
May 30 Victoria, TX @ Downtown Bar and Grill ****
May 31 Athens, TX @ Church of Nazarene ****
Jun 1 Dallas, TX @ Sons of Herman Hall ****
Jun 2 Oklahoma City, OK @ Frontline Church ****

* With WOLVES AT THE GATES
** With FALLSTAR
*** With LIONS! TIGERS! BEARS!
**** With SET THE SUN


Additional Upcoming Dates:
May 4 Stony Point, NC @ Redeemer's House
May 5 Raleigh, NC @ Raleighpalooza!!!
Jun 15 Stone Mountain, GA @ ATLANTA FEST
Jun 22 Wilmore, KY @ ICTHUS FESTIVAL
Jun 23 Mineral City, OH @ Alive Festival
Jul 11 Oshkosh, WI @ Lifest
Aug 2 Gilford, NH @ Soulfest
Aug 7 Darien Center, NY @ Kingdombound Festival
Aug 11 Muskegon, MI @ Unity Music Festival
Sep 15 Shippensburg, PA@ Uprise Music Festival

To Speak of Wolves have posted the second song from their upcoming sophomore release, Find Your Worth, Come Home, titled "Je Suis Fini." The song can currently be streamed right here from AbsolutePunk.net. Find Your Worth, Come Home will be available in stores and online on May 22nd through Solid State Records.

To Speak of Wolves have released a new song titled "Stand Alone Complex," featuring Micah Kinard of Oh, Sleeper, on iTunes, AmazonMP3, and other digital retailers this week, and the lyric video for the song can be viewed below. The band's sophomore album, Find Your Worth, Come Home, will be out May 22nd on Solid State Records, and it can currently be pre-ordered in two different options right here.