Grand Magus' 'Wolf God' - Album Review

Sweden's Grand Magus are a bit like a favourite old jumper or a plate of fish and chips. They might not be the most exquisite offering, but they remain extremely satisfying. The three-piece have been churning out albums of their trademark heavy metal sound for nearly twenty years now, and have become the masters of recreating traditional metal that recalls the classics of the 1970s and early 1980s. While the band's early work had a bit of a doomy overtone, since around the release of 2005's Wolf's Return Grand Magus streamlined their sound to focus more on the genre's genesis. Hints of Manowar at their most primitive can be found in Grand Magus' sound, as well as snippets of Ronnie James Dio-era Black Sabbath and early Saxon. These clear influences have been combined with tales of Norse mythology to create the Grand Magus sound - and played with the simplicity and ferocity that this sort of music requires. Grand Magus' albums have never been over-produced, and in fact it is easy to imagine much of what is heard on their albums was recorded live in the studio - with a few overdubs and occasional flourish added here and there. From Ludwig Witt's hollowing-sounding, booming drums to frontman Janne 'JB' Christoffersson's rich, deep voice - Grand Magus are a primal force. This might only be 'meat and potatoes' metal, but they are some of the best meat and potatoes that you have ever tasted - and sometimes the band's no-nonsense approach to traditional metal is exactly what I need to listen to. The band took 2018 off as far as live performances went, after having spent 2016 and 2017 on the road supporting their last album Sword Songs (which I reviewed here). I enjoyed Sword Songs at the time, but it is not an album which I return to too often. In my opinion it was a somewhat weaker entry into the band's canon, especially following 2014's excellent Triumph and Power (which I reviewed here) - which is my favourite offering from the band along with 2012's The Hunt. Sword Songs just lacked the epic edge that those albums had, so unfortunately I often overlook it despite it containing some strong songs. The band's road-free 2018 was clearly spent crafting Wolf God, the band's latest and ninth album - which is an album that has seen the band crank up the heaviness somewhat and, occasionally, return to their doomy roots. JB, Witt, and bassist Mats 'Fox' Skinner seem to have made conscious decision here to create heavier riffs here, and focus more on creating a dense, heavy atmosphere than crafting catchy choruses. In some respects this works in the band's favour, but there are times when a somewhat brighter sound and a bigger chorus as would have served better. This could have also been an influence taken from producer Staffan Karlsson, on his first collaboration with the band, who has a history of working with much heavier acts.

The dense, string-filled intro Gold and Glory opens up the album with its slow-paced swirling atmosphere and plucked string instruments. The piece has a Tudor-era feeling to it, and sounds like something that would have been played for the pleasure of one of the Kings of that time. These majestic melodies help to set the grand tone for the album, something which is somewhat shattered when the mighty riff of the album's title track comes crashing in. While some of the songs here showcase the band's somewhat doomier side, Wolf God sounds more like the Grand Magus of recent times with a strident riff from JB leading the charge, while Fox's bass fills the gaps perfectly with a muscular tone. JB might not have the most diverse of voices, but his deeper tones are perfectly suited for this type of music. The song's simple chorus is a perfect representation of his talents, with some subtle harmonies to emphasise the melodies, and he helps to make it one of the album's first really memorable moments. The strong title track sets the mood for what is to come, and this mood is only emphasised with A Hall Clad in Gold which ups the pace a little and feels a little like the songs found on The Hunt. The song opens with Witt's hollow drumming, before the bass and guitar soon join for a pacier verse that allows the bass to really dominate while JB barks out the lyrics. The drum sound on the album is perfect for the Grand Magus style, and Witt's drums really crash through the speakers with an organic boom. All too often in metal these days drums sound quite processed, but here they have a natural hollowness to them which recalls may classic heavy metal records of the 1970s. Grand Magus are clearly influenced by a lot of those bands, so it is great to see that influence also stretching to the production. After the title track's simple chorus, it is nice to hear something a bit more involved here as the pace slows to allow the more epic melodies to shine. A few vocal harmonies would have helped the chorus to sound bigger in my opinion, but it still works well as it is. Brother of the Storm has a very Black Sabbath-esque riff leading it, and it is here that the band's older doom sound is showcased somewhat. While not as slow as true doom, there is certainly a lot more weight here. Fox's bass is very high in mix, which helps things to feel much heavier and fills the gaps that the guitar leaves - although the start-stop nature of the verses that often leaves JB singing alone also helps to emphasise the song's heaviness when the riffs kick back in. This is a much simpler song than the previous numbers as a result, but the raw power approach is extremely effective. It is also features a prominent guitar solo that shines due to the simplicity of the song.

Dawn of Fire opens with some atmospheric weather effects, before a mid-paced riff starts up to get the song underway proper. Despite the strength of the riff, the band have chosen to only really feature it (or any other riff) during the intro and chorus sections of the song. This leaves the verses strangely sparse and JB employs a more atmospheric approach to the guitar than his usual metal assault. While I like the idea, I am not sure it quite works here. As a result the song feels a little empty, and the verses in particular seem a little strange without a meaty riff to push them along. Grand Magus are not a band known for their atmospheric playing, so to forego their core sound for something more experimental is a decision that was probably a mistake. Spear Thrower gets the album back on track however, and ups the tempo again with a NWOBHM-inspired riff that ensures the song keeps up a speedy pace throughout. In my opinion, these are the types of songs that really show Grand Magus at their best as they allow all three members of the band to shine. Witt's drumming here is precise and powerful, unleashing his double bass drum pedal at opportune moments to help keep the pace, and the bass from Fox just adds so much depth. All to often, even on albums by bands with one guitarist, albums feature so may layers of guitar that the bass is relegated to a semi-pointless role - but that is not the case here. Fox is a big part of the Grand Magus sound, and his bass playing fills the holes that JB's riffing cannot. Speaking of JB, he also shines here with one of the album's best riffs - and also a powerful vocal display during the song's chorus which is one of the album's catchier moments. To Live and Die in Solitude is another slightly doomy piece, although in truth the song feels like a mix of Grand Magus' previous sounds. The verses are quite pacey, with riffing that would not have sounded out of place on the band's more recent albums, before the chorus slows the pace down a little and introduces some doomier elements. The chorus riffs are low and rumbling, with Witt's slow double bass drumming adding to a gloom, while the verses have a sharpness about them that echoes the NWOBHM-inspirations of the previous number. The mix of sounds works well in my opinion, and makes the song one of the more dynamic pieces here. Grand Magus are not exactly known for their progressive songwriting, but the little variations displayed here help to keep things fresh.

Glory to the Brave opens with a fairly low-key bassline, with a strange percussive backing, before JB joins the fray with a heavy guitar riff that again is filled with the doom influences of the band's past. This is one of the heavier pieces here, with verses that alternate between being led by a powerful bassline and JB attacking his guitar with real gusto. The bass-only sections help to emphasise the doom sound, due to the raw tone that Fox's bass has on this album, and they also help to make the guitar sound a lot heavier when it kicks in. The chorus is a little too plodding for my liking however, and could have been done with being sped up a little - although the slower pace does help to fit in with the doomier feeling. It just means that the song is a little one-paced, although things do speed up a little as JB launches into his melodic guitar solo. If the choruses had matched this pace I feel like the song would have been a bit stronger, but it still works fairly well as it is. He Sent Them all to Hel is a catchier piece and again channels the sound of The Hunt and Triumph and Power nicely. The main riff is a memorable one, and the slightly faster pace here - based around a strong bass and drum groove - helps to create a bit of energy. It also has one of the album's most-memorable choruses which, although extremely simple, is likely to go down well if the band choose to play it live. It is one of the few moments on the album with prominent backing vocals, and this addition really helps the chorus to pack more a punch. The song also features a strong guitar solo, with lots of bluesy flourishes that helps it to stand out. JB is certainly no virtuoso, but his muscular riffing and traditional soloing style is a big part of what makes Grand Magus such a satisfying band to listen to. This is old-school metal for the modern day, and there are few better at that sound. The album's final number, Untamed, picks up the pace again and is one of the fastest tracks here. It opens with a strong riff and some shredding guitar leads from JB, before a powerful verse takes over with a throbbing mid-paced beat, that is often punctuated by the intro riff for some additional power and speed. The chorus slows everything down for a more epic feel, but it is the faster moments here that stand out the most. I feel the band could have chosen one of the more catchier songs here to close the album out, as I am not really sure that the chorus here is as epic as they think it is. It is not quite the defining moment that it should be, despite trying very hard, so a little reworking of the tracklisting could have served the song a little better - in my opinion. Overall however, Wolf God is another strong and enjoyable album from Grand Magus. It is certainly not their best, but it does a good job of mixing the band's core sounds together and is sure to satisfy the band's large fanbase - as well as anyone who enjoys metal done the old fashioned way.

The album was released on 19th April 2019 via Nuclear Blast Records. Below is the band's promotional lyric video for Wolf God.