Wolf - The Black Flame

Wolf, a Swedish band, are one of those newer groups that form mainly to pay tribute to heavy fucking metal as it's meant to be played - loud and with attitude. There's no real innovation or progression to be found here, but that's okay, because it takes a simple formula and makes it great, like every good heavy metal band does. With the traditional influences of Iron Maiden, Judas Priest, Accept, and others, these guys are a blast from the past. With the benefit of enough creativity to write interesting riffs and the technical skill to bring them to fruition, this foursome is force to be reckoned with. Niklas Stålvind's vocals are kind of high and nasally, but it works for this sort of metal, and he can definitely hit the high notes (though there aren't a whole lot of them on this album). The solos will grab you immediately and call upon you to air-guitar. The lyrics on this, their newest album, are kind of dark, dealing with things like zombies, demons and possession, but since it's heavy metal, the album doesn't sound that evil. But that's okay, you're not looking for deep atmosphere in a heavy metal album, are you? Fans of classic metal and bands like Icarus Witch will want to pick this up.

The Black Flame (2006)