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WOLF
Devil Seed
Century Media Records

It seems like the last handful of articles I’ve done lately have all revolved around melodic death and death metal bands from Sweden. Why? Because that’s where all the great metal bands seem to be coming from lately. But let’s shy away from the Swedish death metal scene and take a look at what else they have to offer. Enter WOLF. Formed in 1995, it’s hard to believe such a heavy hitting band like this has flown under the radar for 20 years. They may not be well known in the U.S., but this power metal band from Örebro dig into the roots of metal with their latest release, Devil Seed. Bringing back the power from the fathers of true metal like JUDAS PRIEST, IRON MAIDEN and ACCEPT, WOLF’s sound is a blend of that classic sound, while mixing in the Scandinavian/European power metal too.

WOLF has consistently released great albums spanning their entire career, but Devil Seed stands out as their best yet. From the opening instrumental track “Overture In C Shark” in combination with “Shark Attack”, it just goes to show that there are great bands still cranking out some of the heaviest shit you will find in heavy metal that goes back to the what metal used to be about: long hair, black leather, killer guitar work/solos and headbanging. “Shark Attack” left me feeling like I was listening to an old HELLOWEEN song when Kai Hansen was on vocals during the body, but what makes this song stand out is the freakin’ killer duel guitar solo. What a great pick for an opening combo of songs. Moving ahead to another kick ass song is “My Demon”. Niklas Stålvind’s vocal styling on this song as well as others, hits a strong nerve of former METAL CHURCH frontman, Mike Howe. A very powerful song about dealing with your demons. One of the most outstanding songs on this release, at least in my opinion, would have to be “The Dark Passenger”. This mildly hypnotic journey goes way back in the history of metal with a classic LED ZEPPELIN vibe. This is the mellowest and also longest song on the album, but its power is beyond all the others. If you love classic rock/metal, you WILL find yourself coming back to this song over and over, trust me. Now after that “mellow” interlude, it’s time to ramp things back up a bit. “River Everlost” is power metal! From the charging guitar work of Simon and Niklas and Richard’s progressive beats on drums, WOLF shows they are truly fucking talented. Mixing in Niklas' DREAM THEATER sounding vocals, this powerhouse of a song ranks right up there with the opening track in intensity.

It’s amazing how one singer can sound like so many other greats in the business, but Niklas has no problem showing his talented range. As a band, they have never sounded tighter and seamlessly blend all these awesome classic metal sounds into one earth shaking album. This is another band that needs to come tour the U.S. If you team them up with a few other power metal bands like PRIMAL FEAR and DREAM EVIL, then this show would be a must! Bottom line: If you love power metal, then get this album.

4.5 Out Of 5

Grab a copy of Devil Seed in the KNAC.COM More Store right HERE