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Powerwolf: Bible Of The Beast

Powerwolf: Bible Of The Beast

Epic Heavy/Power Metal
Rating: 4.0/5.0

Metal Blade Records
www.powerwolf.net
www.myspace.com/powerwolfmetal
Review: Craig Hartranft
Added: 04.26.2009

Powerwolf's 'Bible Of The Beast' displays the band in their finest form. Powerwolf still brings epic heavy power metal at blistering pace with breathtaking vocal arrangements and ... little or no guitar solos. You read that right. Power metal or heavy metal with no distinguishing guitar solos? Say it ain' t so? Well, unfortunately it's true. Imagine a Sabaton album without fiery fret work and you have Powerwolf's 'Bible Of The Best.' Often, it's not that they're not there, they're just subdued or buried. The weird thing is that Powerwolf pulls if off so cleverly, you (almost) don't miss it. So how do they do this David Copperfield-type magic?

Powerwolf's sleight-of-hand is revealed in several ways. First, they mesmerize you with their monumental and epic vocal arrangements throughout; frankly, it's extraordinary and defines the entire album. Second, Powerwolf intrigues you with the masterful inclusion of a real church organ into many arrangements. This only makes the epic metal quality more believable. Just listen to it on 'Wolves Against the World' or 'Catholic In The Morning ...' Third, take note of the heart-pumping pace that undergirds the momentum of most every song, speedy riffs rule on this album. Finally, if this is not enough, the legendary producer Fredrik Nordstrom (In Flames, Hammerfall, Dimmu Borgir) mixed the album giving it, ala Phil Spector, a enormous metal wall of sound.

But there are some guitar solos here. Again, they're just subdue or better buried under everything else. The best can be found from 'We Take The Church By Storm' to the end. By example, on 'Resurrection By Erection' it's worked in at the beginning, but left floundering the rest of the way. On 'We Take The Church By Storm' and 'Midnight Messiah' it thrills at the beginning again and gets a more prominent, though subservient, position later. The only true all heavy metal ripping solo is found within 'Panic In The Pentagram,' and it kills. Sorry, but my heavy metal needs kick ass, blistering solos.

Powerwolf's 'Bible Of The Beast' is truly epic heavy power metal which rules the day thanks to grand vocal arrangements and sterling production above all. Unfortunately, this has a negative side effect: the guitar solos are minimized and infrequent. Somehow I can't bear hearing power and/or heavy metal without also having and hearing epic guitar solos. Otherwise, Powerwolf has created a notable, but somewhat troubling, album.

In Short

Powerwolf's 'Bible Of The Beast' is truly epic heavy power metal which rules the day thanks to grand vocal arrangements and sterling production above all. Unfortunately, this has a negative side effect: the guitar solos are minimized and infrequent. Somehow I can't bear hearing power and/or heavy metal without also having and hearing epic guitar solos.

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