Wrestling With Life Questions: ‘Eclipse’ By Wolves At The Gate

Wolves At The Gate are establishing themselves as veterans in the heavy music space, having experienced life lessons and wrestled with questions– seeking answers along the way. Eclipse is a collection of music that is intended to hold these conversations, admitting that there are some things that we might not be able to understand.

The Ohio-based rockers don’t hold back from the start on this album. “The Cure” is a hard and heavy song asking God to remove the scales from our eyes that prevent us from seeing things with clarity. The album continues to wrestle with deeply spiritual topics on “Face to Face,” which explores the biblical theme that to truly live requires spiritual death. Throughout the album, the band leverages a combination of clean and unclean vocals woven together with orchestration to form a musical style that is as robust as the lyrics are deep.

“Drifter” stands out musically on the album, a fist pumping anthem declaring that amid the pain and suffering of life, separated from God, we are His to save.

Another standout on the album is “Enemy,” leading with a catchy rhythmic beat and a harmonic verse before exploding into an intense chorus. The title track is a reflective rock ballad asking: how far away is too far to fall away from God?

“If I fall away
Will I ever see Your face?
Is it much too late?
Have I gone too far?
Am I on the narrow road
That leads to home?”

As with so many questions on this album, the answers are presented as wellsprings of hope, as “Eclipse” closes with this revelation: “Though I fall away / It is then I find more grace.”

“Response” cranks up the energy once again and screams a no-holds-barred question for listeners to answer.

“Will you believe?
Will you believe the words I say?
Will you receive?
Will you receive this faithful truth?”

“History” and “Alone” are upbeat tracks continuing to wrestle with life questions, while “The Sea in Between” is a mysterious and stormy song admitting that there is a sea we must cross– a task which cannot be done without divine intervention.

“Blessings & Curses” closes the album in stark contrast to the frenetic way it began, which seems fitting for an album with such intense lyrics and complex musical arrangements. This closing ballad provides one last hopeful answer to all our questions about life and death, one centered on love.

“O Love that reaches from the heavens
To wretched, rebel hearts lost and alone
You took my curse– gave me Your blessing
Giving me hope in death.”

Wolves At The Gate presents Eclipse with grace and care as they not only tackle difficult subjects, but weave a message of truth, hope, and love throughout each track. In the end, there is no room to question that this band is a group of passionate believers desiring to invite each of us into that same love-filled relationship with God.

Eclipse is an album not for the faint of heart as it dives deep on spiritual themes presented with polished, hard and heavy headbangers with a few beautiful ballads mixed in to cut the tension.

Find Eclipse on Spotify or Apple Music.

Related Artists: RED, August Burns Red, Memphis May Fire