Full Review

Azure Wolf, Black Fur Review

Azure Wolf is a female-fronted indie rock band from Winchester, VA. The project initially was a solo folk one-woman show by Victoria Backle but quickly grew into a four-piece band with an ear-catching sound. The band is Victoria Backle – singer/songwriter & rhythm guitar; Isaac Foltz – Lead guitar & vocals; Thomas Moore – Drums; and Sean Spencer – Bass/Synth. The band’s songwriting places emphasis on lyrics and energetic beats, and memorable guitar tones. Since forming in March of 2020, Azure Wolf has been busy writing and performing live streams and virtual festivals worldwide, including Brazil’s Sonnar Music Festival. Having to sort through the difficulty of building a brand in a post-COVID world, they’ve focused heavily on single releases and developing their live act. Azure Wolf has four singles releasing in early 2021 before dropping their first full-length album in the fall. In their short time as a band, Azure Wolf has developed a solid local following in the DC and Northern VA area, with a total of 3,650 followers across their social media platforms. Azure Wolf takes altruism seriously and utilizes their platform to promote the causes they believe in. During the Australian bush fires of February 2020, the band put together a benefit concert that included themselves and three other DC bands to raise money to fight the fires. They raised a total of $1,200 during the three-hour show. Azure Wolf is now releasing “Black Fur,” their first single of 2021, and features edgy lyrics and a hip indie-rock setting. The Cover Art is by La Rouille.

Bottom Line: “Black Fur” has a meaningful set of lyrics based on prostitution and the struggle of disassociating from traumatic experiences. The “black fur” represents the moment of disconnection and becoming someone else. It is written from a personal experience within the band, and it was one of the first songs that Azure Wolf collaborated on. Backle’s voice is haunting and alluring; her held notes in the chorus encompasses power and controlled color. The guitar part and deep groove of the rhythm section compliments the lyrics’ mood and Backle’s timbre. Starting with the chorus, Azure Wolf keeps the song form clear and moving as the storyline of the lyrics draws you in, and Backle’s voice wins you over. The result, “Black Fur,” is a single that exemplifies the sheer power of well-written lyrics, a powerful vocalist, and a band with instrumental expertise. That’s the short of it!