Band Wolf Title Evil Star Type LP/EP Company Prosthetic YOR 2003 Style Power Popular Reviews ![]() ![]()
Speaking of Hammerfall, their home country of Sweden is responsible for producing many of those fine young acts, including Wolf. Having quickly gained a reputation for their solid invocations of Maiden, these young purists have taken the next step and invoked the best of the Scandinavian metal scene of the early to mid eighties. Evil Star finds the band filling up their sound with more chugging rhythms, more eerie melodies, and more of that pleasantly grating, upper midrange-loaded guitar sound that fueled countless underground Euro Metal albums of the mid-’80’s. Yes, for lovers of that icy, glory-bound Swedish metal style of days gone by, this is a pleasing listen indeed. I must admit, however, that many of the tracks simply fly by, bombarding me with a pleasant semi-gothic vibe, but not really becoming etched into my memory. But when Wolf’s songs shine, man do they shine bright! “Wolf’s Blood” and “American Storm” boast complicated but catchy riffs in spades, while the opening title track is so insanely catchy and memorable, it should be arrested for loitering in my head. The production helps too, with crisp drums and those nice abrasive guitars (could use a little more low end, though). And guitarist Niklas A. Olsson’s vocals do wonders for the songs, adding drama and a certain tension to the band’s gripping and somewhat sinister melodies. Yes, it’s one for the old school alright. The only thing that keeps me from raving about this disc is the presence of several tracks that simply don’t make much of an impression, exacerbated by the presence of three covers out of twelve songs (although Slayer’s “Die By The Sword” really cooks here). And again, the mix would be almost lethal with more bass. But hey, if vintage Swedish steel is what floats your boat, you would do well to hitch your wagon to this Evil Star. Rating: 7 --Vinaya 06.08.04 ALL REVIEWS FOR: WOLF
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