Key years in career of Powerwolf occur in two year intervals, and everything started in 2003. Two years later, Return inBloodred came out, and then we waited two more for Lupus Dei, and two more for Bible Of The Beast. In 2011, they dropped what turned out to be a fan favorite - Blood Of The Saints, the album I am going to review for this week's throwback.
Powerwolf is a band comprised of four German guys and one Romanian singer: brothers guitarists Matthew and Charles Greywolf, pianist Falk Marie Schlegel, drummer Roel van Helden and Attila Dorn (singer from Romania). Attila is a key figure of the band. He is a diferentia specifica between Powerwolf and all the other power-metal bands, although I would rather place them in the heavy rather than power category. Or maybe the best would be to put them somewhere between heavy metal and power metal. However, let's not be nitty gritty. They are metal band, and that's what matters.
It is a known fact that bands of this profile struggle to find appropriate vocalist. Yet, Powerwolf do not encounter this issue, because they have the best metal singer out there. Besides being powerful, dark and explosive, Attila's vocals have a strong opera component which additionally dramatized the concept of Blood Of The Saints. I would even go that far and say that his interpretation is more opera than metal.
Another important faculty that makes Powerwolf standout is that they are not focused on magic, wars and battles. Victories and failures do not happen on the battlefield. Instead, Powerwolf fights church, werewolves, death, funerals and everything around them is bloody and creepy. No matter how much they propagate malicious, horror atmosphere, songs reveal composer's high concentration and ability to obtain continuity of melodies. They mostly sound unbothered and fun, contrary to the sinister themes arched around them.
Guitars are marvelously juxtapositioned, and although they are dominant, they do not overshadow other instruments. Riffs are fullblooded; solo sections posses heavy identity; piano provides sonic opulence, but never kitch, especially due to symphonic connections. Drums provide regular rhythms. Bass is deep and it contributes to the admirable level of darkness.
It is interesting that this album was recorded on five different locations, plus the church was sixth location. Church choirs add up to the epic, middle-ages atmosphere that erupts from every single tone. Besides, the production is very clear, lucid and meticulously articulated. All the songs are charged with energy and lead by epic choruses. Although Blood Of The Saints did not represent highly innovative record, it brought melodic refreshment to the metal scene.
Opening: Agnus Dei is dramatic intro with religious emblems supported by orchestrations, while intrusive riffs, seductive drum sections and detonating vocals can be heard in Sanctified With Dynamite. Night of The Werewolves falls into upbeat hymn category with slow acoustic guitar segments in the middle, while church-choir intro in Dead Boys Don't Cry does not suggest that the track will turn into opera heavy-metal killer.
We Drink Your Blood and Son Of The Wolf delivered abundant riffs attached to piano-organ arrangements. These were the dopest songs on Blood Of The Saints, saturated with opera vocal, choir and insane solo. Horror piano is main characteristic of Murder At Midnight. Grand finale came with with progressive Ira Sancti (When The Saints Are Going Wild). Piano, organ, power double pedals, soft riff, bolts, rain and werewolves all appear in the closing track of the record.
Blood Of The Saints was one of the best metal releases in 2011.
