Sweden’s Wolf were one of the first revivalists of true heavy/power metal forming around the turn of the millennium, long before the current crop of cool Swedish bands came about. This is the band’s latest effort and it’s a genuine power house album!
One thing I haven’t noted before, and it’s more prominent on this release is the character of the vocals that sound like Metal Church’s ex-singer Mike Howe, its uncanny in some places. But that’s not to say it’s a copycat performance. Wolf’s Niklas Stålvind can wail with a massive amount of control, his power screams and overall melody delivery is very strong, the mark of experience. ‘Shark Attack’ is a straight forward Priest inspired metal tune, but as the album develops, so do Wolf’s expansive song structures. ‘The Dark Passenger’ is immense; it almost sounds as strong as some progressive metal, but in a true/power metal style. The dreamy guitar slides are special additions that build atmosphere too. ‘I Am Pain’ and ‘Skeleton Woman’ are also top class tunes, inviting you at every turn to nod in appreciation.
There is not one weak track on this album, but I must draw particular attention to ‘Killing Floor’ that closes the release. Starting out quiet and acoustic, this quickly envelops a comforting titanic stance with many changes in tempo and being one of their longer tunes, this fits really well with the album flow. Wolf are interesting, they have more than the retro flare of the younger bands, there is an air of quality and based on this release, there is no reason why Wolf shouldn’t be up there on the big tours that go around the globe year after year. Wolf’s plus points are that they are fantastic song writers and deliver their art with passion and a style that is befitting of many of the past masters and puts them head a shoulders above some of their more notable peers.
No gimmicks, no slogans or magazine poses are required to market their brand of metal, Wolf let the music do the talking and this is vibrant, expansive traditional metal with a flavour of melodic thrash here and there to make it really entertaining. Possibly their most competent release thus far, and to my mind there are many great ones in their back catalogue. ‘Devil Seed’ has much to love about it, it is a genuine metal album filled with interesting, thoughtful and entertaining arrangements that turns the page on musical complacent trends, this is a force to be reckoned with.
(8.5/10, Paul Maddison)
22/08/2014 at 9:33 am
Always good live; looking forward to a new tour for sure.