Sometimes, due to the sheer amount of bands out there, it can be hard to see the wood for the trees. It is impossible to sample every band, let alone follow them all, so inevitably there are thousands of great bands that we all miss out on. Despite my continual efforts to find new music, so much remains unexplored - and this will sadly always be the case. Dismissing bands due to a less than stellar first impression is also somewhat inevitable, too. It can take a lot of time to properly digest a band's work, and first impressions are decent way of separate which bands we want to take the plunge on with those that likely are not for us. One band that I did not significantly investigate due to a first impression was the Swedish four-piece heavy metal act Wolf. I first properly came across the band at the 2015 iteration of Bloodstock Open Air and, for whatever reason, they did not do much for me at the time. Sometimes festivals can be a bit overwhelming when it comes to discovering new bands, and I am of the view that only so much can be consumed at once, but I did not come away from Bloodstock that year a Wolf fan. I essentially paid the band no more heed until 2020, when I saw them open for Grand Magus in Bristol. Despite their previous set not really grabbing me, I went into The Fleece that night with an open mind and ended up really enjoying Wolf's 45 minutes or so on stage. Their sound is best described simply as heavy metal. They do not really fit into any particular subgenre, despite the odd hint of the heavier end of power metal creeping in at times, but instead play metal that very much sounds like the 1980s heyday of classic heavy metal. Wolf's sound is a good mix of melody and crunchy riffing, and the Swedish band have been releasing albums since 2000 - when they put out their self-titled debut album. Despite enjoying the band's set in Bristol, though, I am still not that familiar with Wolf's work outside of their last few albums. They are a band that I desperately need to explore further, but I did pick up their last album Feeding the Machine (which I reviewed here) not long after the show - as well as 2014's Devil Seed. The set was dominated with songs from Feeding the Machine and it dropped a couple of weeks later - so it seemed like the perfect time to properly get into Wolf. I listened to album a lot around the time that it came out, but I have not returned to it that often since. With the release of the band's latest album last month, though, it seemed right to get back on the Wolf train. The new album, Shadowland, is the band's ninth studio release and, although it does not seem significantly different from Feeding the Machine, it has a bit more of an old-school sound compared to the album it followed. It is the second album with the band's current line-up, and it feels like bassist Pontus Egberg and drummer Johan Kullberg have now fully integrated themselves into the band - with the former credited with co-writing a few of the tracks here. I was under the impression that they joined the band around the time that Feeding the Machine was recorded, so they likely had little input in its formation. Perhaps this is the reason for the slightly more old-school sound present this time, but it is my understanding that this sound is fairly typical for Wolf - meaning Feeding the Machine may have been a slight outlier in the catalogue.
The album opens up with the hard-hitting Dust, which roars out of the gate with a brisk Kullberg drum groove and the duelling lead guitars of main man Niklas Stålvind and long-time lead guitarist Simon Johansson. In many ways, the song is very much classic Wolf. Despite the melodic guitar riffing and leads, the song still feels nice and heavy - and much crunchier than Iron Maiden, to quote another twin-guitar band for example. There is a little Mercyful Fate to be found at times, but there is also plenty of the NWOBHM within Wolf's sound - with Dust sounding a bit like a mix of many of the big hitters of the NWOBHM but with a much grittier production that has been influenced by modern power metal. Wolf's sound is not exactly original, but there is a lot to enjoy here. The song's verses get the pulse beating, before a chorus crashes in that is filled with screaming guitar leads and the screeched vocal hooks of Stålvind - who delivers a strong vocal performance throughout the album. A lengthy guitar solo adds some extra melody to the piece, with Johansson showcasing his legato playing style nicely through a number of memorable runs. Visions for the Blind is similar, but it picks up the pace somewhat and goes for the throat a little more. The arrangement is simpler this time, with less knotty guitar interplay, as a big NWOBHM-style riff runs rampant throughout - creating the bed for Stålvind's urgent verse vocals. The pace slows somewhat for the choruses, and the song takes more of a melodic route during these sections. The guitar playing becomes more melodic here, with guitar leads somewhat mimicking the main vocal melodies - whilst Kullberg's drums take a ride-heavy approach for a big 1980s-esque sound. Thanks to its more straight ahead riffing and style, the song is one that easily sticks in the brain. It is crunchier than the opening cut too, which ensures that the energy levels are kept high, and it is a great jumping off point for the core Wolf sound - which Stålvind has been cultivating for many years at this point. The Time Machine slows the pace down somewhat. Instead of going for a snappy approach like the opening couple of tracks, the song is much doomier - and opens with a very Black Sabbath-esque riff. This comparison to Black Sabbath is especially true if the band's 1980s output is considered, and The Time Machine is not too dissimilar to Black Sabbath's work with Tony Martin. The riff has a similar heavy, yet melodic vibe, and the overall atmosphere is similar with the odd heroic melody and drum flourish. The chorus is perhaps the least Black Sabbath-esque moment, though, as it focuses more on guitar leads than riffs. There is a little of the aforementioned Mercyful Fate influence to be found here, though, with Stålvind singing in a slightly more over the top way to suit the spooky, yet melodic, guitar leads. The instrumental section showcases more of a Black Sabbath influence, though, thanks to a lengthy bluesy solo that sits atop another slower-paced riff.
Evil Lives ups the pace and returns to a vibe more akin to how the album opened. The slower riffing is replaced here by a more upbeat vibe overall, but there are still plenty of unsettling and slightly evil-sounding melodies throughout. It is a busy song guitar-wise and, as such, there are lots of great leads to enjoy. There is little traditional riffing here, as the main bulk of the music here is made up up leads - even if they sit atop something of a riff, which reminds me of classic Thin Lizzy but played through a much heavier filter. There are better songs here, but the short and to-the-point nature of the song helps it to stand out - as it is a ball of energy that does not outstay its welcome. It is sandwiched between two heavier, slower tracks, too, which only heightens its impact with its fast-paced leads and simple chorus. Seek the Silence is somewhat similar to The Time Machine, and sees the pace slowed once again. The song is heavy, yet there is a bit more light and shade this time. There are plenty of big riffs included, but I like how clean guitar melodies are used throughout. Much of the song features clean and distorted guitars playing at the same time - with the former creating an atmospheric depth with ringing arpeggios whilst the former creates a rhythmic base alongside the bass and the hard-hitting drums. Due to this depth of sound, the song sounds less like Black Sabbath this time, and instead sounds like an extension of the band's core sound - just significantly slowed down and with clean guitar melodies replacing traditional leads. The alterations make sense, though, and the song really works thanks to this deviation in approach. The album's title track follows, and it ups the pace somewhat - but the song is generally a mid-paced rocker that is built around a very memorable main riff and a solid vocal hook. Stålvind's singing really powers through the mix here, and the song's main riff is likely one of the album's best due to its mix of traditional chugging and the occasional melodic flourish. Much like Visions for the Blind, this is a song that favours a simpler arrangement and approach. Seek the Silence was longer to allow the ideas to develop, and to create more of an atmospheric depth, whereas Shadowland focuses on its core riffs and melodies nicely - which gives it something of an anthemic feel. The Ill-Fated Mr. Mordrake opens with a riff/chord progression that sounds a little like the opening few bars of Megadeth's Hangar 18, but the overall vibe soon changes to one that is more typical of Wolf. This Hangar 18-esque riff does resurface throughout, but generally the song is another mid-paced rocker with powerful verses and some of Stålvind's most unhinged vocals on the album. The vocal and lyrical approach of the song is very Mercyful Fate-like in scope, but the song is somewhat more melodic overall thanks to the resurfacing chord progression and some excellent soloing which again features lots of memorable legato runs.
Rasputin is similar, but the overall arrangement of the song feels somewhat more dynamic. Throughout this album, many of the songs tend to stick with one overall pace throughout, with subtle variations, but Rasputin takes some relatively drastic twists and turns - which helps it to stand out. It is generally a mid-paced track, with some big riffing and shrieking vocals similar to the previous song, but there are moments that see the pace slowed significantly - with some more gentle, atmospheric sections taking over. These moments are fairly short-lived, but they really help the song to stand out for me. I like the way how the song builds on the formula of the previous song, but takes it one step further with more of an atmospheric approach. It even features a lengthy instrumental closing section which includes lots of spacey synth work - which further adds depth to the song and its overall arrangement. Exit Sign returns to Wolf's typical sound, however, and immediately picks up the pace. The main riffing throughout the song is driving and heavy, with a few lead guitar flourishes thrown in for good measure. After two lengthier tracks, the punchier Exit Sign is welcome. There are not many out and out fast songs here, but this is one of them, and it is a great way to whip up some more energy in the album's final third. Another busy guitar solo is included here, too, and overall the song is one that catches the attention with its fast-paced riffing and strong vocal hooks. The album comes to a close with Into the Black Hole, which is another song that is very much typical of the album's core sound. It is not as fast overall as Exit Sign, but it is still a relatively energetic piece that is perhaps heavier due to a slight reduction in pace. There is definitely more of a focus on guitar melodies here, though, and there are lots of memorable guitar leads throughout - as well as some riffs which edge into Black Sabbath territory again, although these are relatively infrequent and serve to temporarily slow the pace for effect. The bulk of the song on the whole though is energetic and melodic, with some great guitar moments and another strong chorus that sticks in the brain thanks to its staccato drumming groove and another strong Stålvind vocal. Due its focus on the band's core sound, as well as the occasional flourish and pace change, the song works well as an album closer - and the album ends on a high thanks to its grooves and memorable hooks. Due to the subtle variations in the songwriting throughout, as well as my relatively limited knowledge of Wolf's work, Shadowland is likely my favourite album by the band that I have heard so far. There is a great crunch throughout, but the songs are rooted in the 1980s which is always welcome for someone who loves classic heavy metal. It is also an album that does a good job at creating a strong atmosphere and vibe throughout, meaning that Wolf have achieved what they have set out to do here - and the result is another enjoyable entry in their canon.
The album was released on 1st April 2022 via Century Media Records. Below is the band's promotional video for Dust.
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