Crippled Black Phoenix (CBP) have always marched to the beat of their own drum, and now with The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature they are attempting the heavy lift of redefining their own legacy. The album is a collection of reworked and re-recorded CBP songs, taking on the band’s formative years with Invada Records, revisiting material from their first five years and four albums. For founder Justin Greaves, it’s about more than a nostalgic trip - it’s about growth and transformation as an artist and songwriter. And the album title sums up the band’s essence: evolving musically while remaining true to their core. This sentiment echoes through the revamped tracks, which reflect how CBP has performed these songs live over the years. Some have undergone significant changes, while others retain the spirit of the originals, now filled with a fresh intensity. As Greaves explains, the opportunity to breathe new life into these songs is a meaningful milestone for the band.

One standout is the reimagined “Goodnight, Europe,” the very first CBP song Greaves wrote back in 2004. Initially released as a demo on MySpace, the track’s genesis was humble; inspired by a Eurovision broadcast and born from homemade demos with bandmate Dominic Aitchison. Though its 2007 debut on A Love Of Shared Disasters earned the band comparisons to Pink Floyd, the 2024 version takes a darker, gloomier turn. With new lyrics by Belinda Kordic, the song resonates more deeply, embodying CBP’s evolution and the shifting cultural landscape.

The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature isn’t just about revisiting the past, it’s about celebrating 20 years of Justin Greaves’ songwriting and the friendships that have fueled CBP’s journey. The band brought together a host of friends for these recordings, including former member Kostas Panagiotou (Pantheist) and Ryan Patterson (Fotocrime, Coliseum), both integral to CBP’s history. Newcomer Justin Storms (Wailin’ Storms) adds fresh energy, rounding out a lineup that reflects both CBP’s past and their present.

Complementing The Wolf Changes Its Fur But Not Its Nature is the companion album Horrific Honorifics Number Two (2), a collection of covers that pays homage to the artists who inspired CBP. From New Model Army’s defiant “Vengeance” to a haunting rendition of Laura Branigan’s “Self Control,” the album reinterprets these classics through CBP’s distinctive lens.