Wolfsbane's 'Genius' - Album Review

The British hard rock scene of the late 1980s and the early 1990s has always interested me. The NWOBHM movement earlier in the 1980s found world-wide popularity, as had the British classic rock boom of the 1970s, but by the end of the decade the influence of Britain as a musical force had waned - at least in the hard rock and metal worlds. America was really where it was at during the late 1980s, whether you wanted a more accessible hair metal sound or the more extreme thrash and death metal scenes, and there was something of a dearth of popularity when it came to new acts from the UK. This is a real shame, as the UK produced a lot of great hard rock acts throughout the late 1980s and into the 1990s. Bands like The Quireboys, Little Angels, Skin, The Wildhearts, and The Almighty all found some success; with Thunder probably being the most successful of them all - especially considering the London-based band's current standing. Another band that found some success during that era were Wolfsbane - from Tamworth in the West Midlands. The band can trace their roots back to 1984, but their career really kicked off in a big way when they released their debut album Live Fast, Die Fast in 1989. The album was released on the Def American label and was produced by the legendary Rick Rubin - who around the time was producing some of the biggest rock and metal bands in the world including The Cult, Slayer, and Danzig. Quite how a rough and ready band from Tamworth got signed to Def American before they had released anything formally remains a mystery to me - but Wolfsbane ended up putting out two studio albums and an EP via Def American before being dropped. The pulling power of the label and Rubin did not seem to quite translate into big-time success for Wolfsbane, which is a shame. That being said, Wolfsbane's sound has always been hard to pigeonhole. They are a bit too fast and furious to be hard rock, and they are too punky to be bona fide heavy metal. They are a band that fall through the cracks a bit somewhat, and when frontman Blaze Bayley left the band in 1994 to join Iron Maiden Wolfsbane came to an end. One-off reunions in 2007 and 2009 led to a permanent reunion in 2010, and Wolfsbane have been semi-regulars on the live circuit again since - with Bayley also fitting in a busy solo career around the band's activities. The band's fourth album, Wolfsbane Save the World, was released in 2012 - but ever since they have been quiet on the studio front. That was until last month, though, when the band released their fifth album Genius - their first album of new material in 10 years. Wolfsbane's music has always been uncomplicated and uncompromising, and Genius is no different. The band's trademark mix of rock, metal, and punk is very much alive and well here, and it is clear that age and the 10 year gap between albums has not slowed them down one bit. For those who appreciate brevity, too, Genius will tick all the boxes - as the 10-track album is barely longer than half an hour. It flies by, but the songs are still memorable and the production allows the band's raw sound to really shine.

The album kicks off with Spit It Out, one of the shortest songs here yet also one of the most memorable. It is barely longer than two minutes, but the punky anthem is a great representation of Wolfsbane at their most energetic. A huge gang vocal-led chorus provides the first big hook of the album, whilst the booming double bass drumming of Steve Danger keeps everything moving. It is very much an uncompromising song, and that is generally what Wolfsbane have been about over the years. That being said, though, there is still an accessibility here despite the heaviness. Bayley's vocal melodies are easy to latch onto, and some of Jase Edwards' opening guitar pyrotechnics are Van Halen-esque. There is not a wasted note throughout the song, with the muscular riffs that sit alongside the more melodic guitar moments giving the track a real metal weight. It is a great way to kick the album off, and the song was a highlight in the set on the band's recent tour. Zombies treads a different path, though, and goes for a much bigger sound with a slow-burning synth-heavy opening that showcases a bit of a progressive rock influence. The song proper is classic Wolfsbane in sound, though, but the atmospheric intro helps to set the tone for its themes - and there are moments throughout that do somewhat return to this atmosphere, which helps to break up the mid-paced riffing and Jeff Hateley's prominent bass playing. The song's chorus is another memorable one, too, with a slight pop edge that reminds me a little of Cheap Trick - with a punk backing. Impossible Love is more of a traditional hard rock song, and it reminds me quite a bit of the sound that was present throughout Wolfsbane Save the World. There is little of the band's punk edge here, with a driving and melodic rock sound present instead. Edwards' riffing keeps everything moving with its simplicity, but the standout performer here is Bayley - who's rich voice is perfect for the song's anthemic nature. The pre-chorus really ups the song's power, before the chorus proper and its harmony vocals ensure that the song sticks in the brain. Rock the Boat is similar, but it ups the heaviness somewhat - with a main riff that sounds like something Jimi Hendrix might have written had be joined a heavy metal band in the mid-1970s. The riff has a Hendrix-esque rhythm, and that is extended to the rest of the song - which has a strong groove throughout, and another chorus that makes good use of big gang vocals. It is a song that catches on due to its rhythms and the big bass presence of Hateley, but there is also a great Edwards guitar solo to inject some classic rock melodies - before a grungy mid-section prefaces a final chorus. Small Town Kisses is more upbeat, with some of the heaviness of the previous songs stripped away to leave a great 1970s-esque pop rock sound that is driven by Danger's busy drumming and a punk energy. The song reminds me a bit of The Wildhearts' typical sound, which often fuses pop hooks and a punk energy, and it sticks in the brain as a result. There are lots of great melodies throughout, and the chorus is one of the album's best thanks to Bayley's hooky vocal performance.

Things are Getting Better is another highlight for me, and it ups the pace again somewhat whilst retaining the pop hooks of Small Town Kisses. It contains another great pre-chorus/chorus section, and the driving hard rock energy helps to give the album another dose of the band's love of a high tempo. A slightly strange guitar solo section gives the track a bit of an edge, though. Wolfsbane have often taken slight left turns on their songs, even if they are only brief diversions, and the solo section here is one of those - before the big chorus kicks in once more. Good Time is similar, but with more of the 1970s pop sound again - and some busier guitar playing from Edwards. Due to the fact that most of the band's songs are quite short, the band members do not often show off - but Good Time certainly feels busier from a guitar perspective. There are quite a few little melodies from Edwards throughout, and the riffing is tight and snappy as the song builds towards its chorus. Unsurprisingly, this chorus is another big one - with its punky, repetitive melodies being extremely infectious. Rock City Nights returns to a more muscular hard rock sound akin to Impossible Love. Rock City Nights is cut from the same cloth, and features vocal melodies which are similar to Bayley's solo work. The band's punk side is essentially absent this time, and the track is anthemic - with lots of big Edwards riffing and a lengthy (for Wolfsbane) shredded guitar solo that is packed full of melodic runs. Songs like this showcase Bayley as a singer, though. For me he is at his best when he is at his richest, and Rock City Nights allows the deepness in his voice to come out - and the chorus really shines thanks to this tone and vocal approach. Running Wild is a bit more dynamic arrangement-wise. It is generally not too dissimilar to Rock City Nights, but it has a bit more of a punk injection - whilst there are a handful of lower-key moments too that see the band take a slower path. Wolfsbane are rarely stripped back in that sense, so the brief moments of calm here are welcome - but in general the song is very typical of the band's sound with another driving chorus and a bounce that comes from the power of the rhythm section. The album then comes to a close with I Was Born in '69, which is possibly the most out of character song here - but the piano-led track works well as an album closer. It is not exactly a ballad, but the grander song is certainly slower than is average for Wolfsbane - and it also features one of the band singing in a duet with Bayley. Edwards is credited for writing the song's lyrics so I assume that it is him singing - but the CD booklet does not make this clear. I cannot think of another Wolfsbane song that sounds anything like this, and I like that they have tried something different here. Most of the rest of the album has been driving hard rock and punk up to this point, so I Was Born in '69 allows the band to showcase a different side to their songwriting - with a great piano backing and more of an emotional vocal from Bayley. On the whole, though, Genius is generally exactly what was expected from a new Wolfsbane album - but the formula still sounds fresh. They are not a band that releases a lot of new music, so a new album from the Tamworth four-piece is always welcome, and their brand of punky hard rock always gets the blood pumping.

The self-released album was released on 3rd June 2022.