Rating: ★★​​★½

Artist: &TEAM

Genre: K-pop

Release Date: April 12, 2026

Eyes ablaze and claws out, Japanese boy group &TEAM returned to the stage last Sunday with another werewolf-themed mini album: “We on Fire.” 

Due to the global success of the group’s previous mini album “Back to Life,” I expected it to continue with the werewolf lore. Members teased that the title track would feel reminiscent to their debut song “Under the Skin,” and I imagined a fresh set of songs with nostalgic melodies and lyrical themes of belonging and freedom.

But on release day, there was barely an album to be found. Disappointingly, only three of the six songs on the tracklist were new. The rest of the mini album included Korean versions of the two new songs and a previously-released single. 

The title track “We on Fire” is undeniably catchy and follows &TEAM’s signature style. Softer verses build up to high-energy choruses, leaning into the pop-punk territory with electronic elements. Lyrically, the track delves into the group’s determination to stick together despite hardships, break free from external restrictions, and persevere in the face of setbacks. 

Unsurprisingly, it fell victim to the HYBE label’s curse of lacking a bridge, making the song significantly shorter than I would have liked. Sitting at just two-and-a-half minutes, it felt rushed, but a longer music video compensated for this. 

The music video has received some backlash from the fan base for unequal screen time and the  potential use of AI visuals. I found the music video visually engaging, and as someone familiar with &TEAM’s werewolf concept and lore, I enjoyed its implementation of the storyline at the forefront. 

The video is set in a desert landscape, with &TEAM fighting against a masked group. The majority of the video features fight scenes instead of choreography shots, which is unusual for a K-pop group. The visuals then shift to an animated style, depicting the members engaging in these fight scenes in black and white sketches, adding a unique flair to the video. There were callbacks to previous motifs like the blindfolds used in “Go in Blind,” which was a nice nod for seasoned fans. However, in the four-minute video, there were only three brief choreography shots. Some members, like Harua, were on screen for a mere eight seconds, leaving me wishing there were more fleshed-out dance scenes and an even distribution of screen time between all members. 

“Bewitched,” a promotional track, blew my expectations out of the water and made me wish it was the title track. It embraces a rock sound, picking up with the strong guitar riffs and prominent drums featured in “We on Fire.” Weaving together the sensation of being under the subject’s spell and following them across cycles of reincarnation, this song is full of yearning carried by unforgettable beats. By far, my favorite aspect of the track is the guitar mirroring the sound of the members singing the word “bewitched” throughout the song.

“HOTLINE” deviates from the instrumental intensity of the previous songs with an electronic sound. As a pop-leaning track, the digital tones and cuter concept give the listener a break from the album’s rock elements. It feels reminiscent of previous bubbly &TEAM songs like “Feel the Pulse” and “Wolf type.” The sweet lyrics of “HOTLINE” are an ode to the unity and love between &TEAM and its fanbase, known as LUNÉ. 

The final song on the track list is “Sakura-iro Yell,” which has been out since March 13. The ballad references concepts from the group’s previous season-based albums like “Yukiakari” and “Samidare.” In a dramatic shift in style from the previous three tracks, the song transitions from heavy guitar riffs to gentle piano and chirping birds. The change in sound provided a sense of familiarity to close out the album nicely, but I was disappointed that there wasn’t a new song to wrap up the listening journey. 

Adding another chapter to &TEAM’s werewolf world, “We on Fire” brings a similar vibe to its past few releases. Given HYBE’s tendency to push new themes and sounds for each group’s comeback, this was a good break from the anticipated intense genre shifts. Although I have some gripes in terms of the album’s production, they did not detract from my listening experience.