Year : 2018
Style : Melodic Power Metal
Country : Germany
Audio : 320 kbps + all scans + Video
Size : 353 mb
Bio:
In 2005 a yet unrevealed secret called POWERWOLF invaded the metal scene with their debut album "Return In Bloodred". Sinister, wicked and wild as only real metal can be, that album delivered haunting, yet catchy anthems for both shivering horror atmosphere and screaming metal party mayhem.Fronted by the charismatic maestro Attila Dorn, whose roots go back to Romania, the wolves soon made themselves heard with unique and celebrated live shows.Songs like "Mr. Sinister" or "The Kiss Of The Cobra King" breathe the spirit of the essence of what heavy metal means, paying tribute to the godfathers of evil heavy music without being retro.After the release of "Return In Bloodred" the wolves invaded festival stages in the summer of 2005, leaving a brandmark on events such as the Summer Breeze or Metal Blade Europe's 10th Anniversary festival, before embarking on a full European tour covering twelve countries as support to German metal legends GAMMA RAY in October.In July the wolves came back to the stages to play some more festival shows, including a celebrated appearance at probably the most renowned festival for heavy metal - Germany's Bang Your Head! Allowing themselves no rest they soon started working on the follow up to "Return In Bloodred". Locking themselves away in their fog veiled rehearsal room during autumn 2006, Attila and the pack went through a cathartic struggle with themselves to reach the core of their passion: "Ever since these five individuals that form POWERWOLF came together, we felt a strong bond that went far beyond our passion for metal - it is something spiritual, some people would even say religious," says organ player Falk Maria Schlegel. "Metal is a lifestyle - metal is religion! That's what it's all about!"Obsessed by that credo the wolves stirred the flame in an intense four-month songwriting period. "It was a truly emotional process. I've never been that dedicated to any piece of music in all my life so far," Attila Dorn reflects. In the end the band had written ten brand new tunes carrying on where "Return In Bloodred" left off, and going far beyond at the same time: Songs as "We Take It From The Living" or "Prayer In The Dark" feature all trademarks of typical POWERWOLF songs adding both more melodic density as well as pounding heaviness and more epic moments than ever before. Paying tribute to the spiritual feeling of the album, POWERWOLF recorded parts of it in a chapel built in the 12th century. "It was haunting. Recording in a church can not be compared to any studio situation. You can breathe history in such a place and it was definitely the most inspirational surrounding we could have chosen for the creation of this album," Matthew Greywolf says. "On the title track as well as on 'In Blood We Trust' we even worked with a 30-piece classical choir, which was amazing!"For the mix they finally went to famous Studio Fredman in Sweden, where Fredrik Nördström (who was also responsible for the acclaimed sound on "Return In Bloodred") put the final touches on the album, delivering a ground-shaking heavy sound.Lyrically dealing with the word of the bible and the dogmas of metal, "Lupus Dei" features everything POWERWOLF is about: haunting horror atmospheres, spiritual organ madness, Attila's once again outstanding and unique vocal performance - and most of all: ten extremely catchy metal anthems soon to be howled by many wolf-addicted souls!Our Father who art in heaven - our daily metal give us today!The unusual power metal Powerwolf was formed in Essen, Germany, in 2003 and features the two Greywolf brothers Matthew and Charles alongside Attila Dorn. Dorn, who originates from Romania, has put a unique personal touch on the band, passing on his heritage in the shape of a strict vampiric image. 2005 became a very important year for the band as they were picked up by the major independent metal label Metal Blade Records who released their debut album. They also contributed a cover version of Armored Saint's classic "March of the Saint" for Metal Blade's 2005 "Rooooaaaar" compilation.Live activities following the album released included appearances at the three German festivals Summer Breeze, Holzstock and Rock-Well as well as a support slot on the Gamma Ray / Nocturnal Rites European tour in September and October of 2005. During 2006 the band only did a few seIect shows while working on material for a sophomore album, "Lupus Dei", which was released in early May 2007.
Album:
Its about that time again – when the fans of bombastic, over the top, and ridiculous heavy metal literally rejoice at the thought of a new Powerwolf album. Perhaps one of the most consistent bands out there, since their inception in 2003, the band has put out a new release every two years – and their seventh full length album is no exception. The Sacrament of Sin is set to release in July of 2018; with a lot of the pre-order packages already sold out – the heavy metal congregation has proven it was ready for the latest Powerwolf Mass.If you are unfamiliar with Powerwolf and cannot tell by the make-up, album artwork, costumes, song titles, etc. this German five-piece knows how to deliver heavy, theatrical, and sometimes downright silly metal complete with a church organ, howling wolves, and blood-curdling screams. Despite previous releases boasting song titles such as “Resurrection by Erection” and “Catholic in the Morning, Satanist at Night” some people confuse the band for being a ‘Christian band’. They’ve also been snubbed by the more uptight metal fans saying they are cringey for trying to be taken seriously looking like ‘homeless men in King Diamond’s melted makeup’. The band has released nothing but relentlessly dark and heavy albums, putting out some of the best heavy metal to come out of our generation, but their live shows have gained a bit more notoriety as being a truly fantastic experience (that North Americans have yet to have on our soil… more bitterness on that later).“Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend” is the second track on the album, but the first single released for ‘The Sacrament of Sin’. I intentionally avoided the single until I had access to the whole album after the clips I saw from the music video made me cringe. I have to say, the song was better than I expected, and features a great melody driven by a church organ and distorted guitar, with lyrics about sending nuns over the edge with evil thoughts of all the fun they could have if they left their church-life behind. The song is probably one of the most pop/rock-like songs the band has ever released, which isn’t really a bad thing, but because of this it is in my opinion one of the weaker tracks on the album. I also think the video looks more like a Victoria’s Secret commercial-gone-wild, but I am sure the male dominated metal fan base has no complaints there.A couple of the highlights of the album are “Killers with the Cross” and “Nightside of Siberia” which are probably what fans of their older albums would expect of the band. A bit gritty and dark, but very galloping guitar-riff driven, with huge choruses that stick with you long after the song ends. “Nightside of Siberia” in particular features a killer guitar solo, and great songwriting all around; the transition into the bridge of the song is phenomenally done. Blast this tune in a great stereo or get your best set of headphones, close your eyes, and really experience the details of this song. It’s a great homage to the band’s older sound.Most of the album is awesome, although played safe, and sounds exactly like – well… – what I would expect a new Powerwolf album to sound like! “Fire and Forgive”, “The Sacrament of Sin”, and “Fist by Fist (Sacralize or Strike)” feel like direct afterthoughts from the band’s previous album, ‘Blessed and Possessed’. The album does feature some surprises like the ballad “Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone” which reads and sounds like what you’d expect from a band like Sonata Arctica – not Powerwolf. It took a few listens for this song to grow on me, but I feel like they pulled of the new style quite well. But if this doesn’t excite your inner metal-loving demons, the following track, “Stossgebet” really snaps the album right back into the dark and heavy vibes we’ve all grown to love.But don’t stop reading just yet, because the best is yet to come. “Incense & Iron”, the fourth track on the album, is probably one of my favorite songs that the band has ever released. While yes, it does have a huge Sabaton vibe (and to no one’s surprise – I am a huge Sabaton fan) Joakim and his chorus of Swedes can’t touch the vocal style of Attila Dorn – a true classically trained vocalist. I only wish the song was longer because I can’t help but put it on repeat a few times every time I hear it. The chorus is so infectious, I am whistling it around work and around the house, it just won’t leave me alone! If the sexy-nun single didn’t work for you, just wait and give this track a shot – it may be just what you need.All in all, ‘The Sacrament of Sin’ is exactly what you would expect of Powerwolf, and in no way is that a bad thing. The band hasn’t been selling out huge theaters and playing massive metal festivals all around the world because they make sub-par metal, right? There are some great surprises on this record that bring the band back to their grittier roots (and since their best albums are their first two, this is great news to me). They set out promising to give fans amazing music and an even better live show, and they really are delivering more and more with each release and tour. As an American fan of this band, I can only hope that this release will finally bring the band to North American soil – but I don’t have high hopes. At least I have seven great albums to listen to until that day finally comes!
Line Up:
Charles Greywolf Bass, Guitars (2003-present) - See also: Flowing Tears, Heavatar, Red Aim
Matthew Greywolf Guitars (2003-present) - See also: Flowing Tears, ex-Flowing Tears & Withered Flowers, Red Aim
Falk Maria Schlegel Keyboards (2003-present)
Attila Dorn Vocals (2003-present) - See also: ex-Red Aim
Roel van Helden Drums (2011-present) - See also: Delphian, Freak Neil Inc., Lites over Fenix, Sun Caged, ex-DVPLO, ex-Marcel Coenen, ex-Subsignal
Tracklist:
01. Fire & Forgive
02. Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend
03. Killers With The Cross
04. Incense And Iron
05. Where The Wild Wolves Have Gone
06. Stossgebet
07. Nightside Of Siberia
08. The Sacrament Of Sin
09. Venom Of Venus
10. Nighttime Rebel
11. Fist By Fist (Sacralize Or Strike)
12. Midnight Madonna (Bonus Track)
+ Video "Demons Are A Girl's Best Friend" (Official Video)
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