Customer Reviews

Ravenous

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I first heard Wolf on a the Century Media CD sampler, Covering Twenty Years. They paid tribute to Moonspell's Alma Mater, and I was instantly a huge fan. While retro-revival bands like the Sword, or Warbringer seem to be trying to sound like a past genre, Wolf just plays Metal. They don't seem to be trying to fit in to any niche. Not glam, or power, or thrash, or death, or melo-death, or metalcore, but pure Heavy Metal. Not that I dislike the previous bands or subgenres I mentioned, on the contrary, but am merely using examples.

I hear the Priest and Maiden influences, like the other reviews stated, but there is something else as well. Darkness, evil, rage, horror, and that hard rocker crunch that escapes so many of the mainstream bands today. But that could be said about any of their releases. I think this one stands out a little more than Evil Star, and The Black Flame. I am not mentioning their earliest releases, because I haven't heard them yet.

Speed On sets a wicked pace, and sets the bar high for the rest of the album. Voodoo might be my favorite Wolf song, with its piercing vocals, and monster riffage; a real heavy metal classic. MR. Twisted has a great gutar solo, as well as several of the other songs. The guitars over all seem to be better than on previous efforts. In fact it may be the guitar work of Johannes Axeman, and Niklas Stalvind that sets this album apart from the others.

Wolf totally delivers here, shredding out a signature sound that places them in the metal elite. But they were already there in my opinion. If you are a fan of any kind of Heavy Metal, you should get this album, because it doesn't get any more metal than this.

The UK magazine Metal Hammer recently coined the acronym NWOTM to account for the New Wave of Traditional Metal that has emerged in recent years. I think the tag is appropriate, and if this is a true movement in metal, it's only fair to acknowledge Sweden's Wolf as the undisputed leaders of the NWOTM pack. Since the early part of the decade, Wolf has been delivering fast and furious adjective-free heavy metal driven by a passion for Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and the classic New Wave of British Heavy Metal (NWOBHM) sound.

Ravenous is the band's fifth studio album, and with it the band gets right back to doing what they do best - delivering the traditional metal goods. With Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Saxon as the foundation, Wolf adds high speed riffing, dark lyrics, unique vocals (I suppose they're an acquired taste, but I love `em), and an unmatchable energy and sprit that makes you want to fly the metal flag ever higher. I think their previous album (2006's The Black Flame) may be the better album, but Ravenous is fast becoming a favorite as well. Highlights are "Curse You Salem", "Ravenous" and "Hiding in Shadows", but the whole album is a fast n' furious metal assault that will make your ears bleed.

If you enjoyed any (all) of Wolf's previous releases, you're going to love Ravenous as well. It's just a hard-charging, fist in the air heavy metal album that's the perfect antidote for the countless sub-genres in the metal scene. Sometimes you just want a pure unadulterated metal album, and that's what Wolf is all about.

I don't know anything about these guys, but I was truned on to them by a friend and holy smokes!!! These guys are the new arrival of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal. I agree with them sounding like Priest/Maiden, but also give it a Savatage nod also. Definately a great CD, along with their earlier releases...

IMO this band sounds like a cross between Judas Priest and Iron Maiden but a tad bit heavier. I am still reviewing the CD but overall it is pretty good.

No cliches, no pop metal crap. This is it!! Probably the best metal album made for over a decade or more.
Full of power in the vocals, with the right tones, riffs are killing. I have it for more than a year, but I keep listening to it almost every week, even after they've released their new album, which is good, but not better than this one.

"Ravenous" is the 5th studio album by Swedish heavy/power metal "Wolf" originally released in 2009. In terms of artistic direction, "Ravenous" explores the same horror metal territory while the band seems to progressively move away from the traditional metal genre. For that matter not much has changed in terms of songwriting; lyrics on voodoo, witchcraft and black magic mixed with high pitched vocals, haunting melodies and scorching riffs form once again the sound of "Wolf", yet the production, this time round, is somewhat more modern-sounding. This is largely due to the contribution of American producer Roy Z who, coming from a melodic metal background, produces "Ravenous" into a power metal album that a traditional one.

Once again "Wolf" s technical ability is on top form with particular emphasis on guitar parts and vocal attack, while the rhythm section has been brought to front on this release. The line up features gutarist/singer Niklas Stalvind arguably the focal point of "Wolf", accomplished lead guitarist Johannes Axeman, bassist Anders Modd and drummer Richard Holmgren. As before, this latest `Wolf' album features a real handful of standout tracks such as "Love at first bite", "Ravenous", "Voodoo" and the so classic sounding "Speed on" all very memorable material.

"Ravenous" is the most powerful and frenetic album of "Wolf" to date that hopefully cemented their reputation as a horror heavy/power metal outfit in the international metal arena. Really looking forward to their follow up!

What was once old is new again? well for these guys it is as Wolf's brand of metal sounds brings me back to my teen years. Their old school metal vibe is righteous stuff indeed, which is a very good thing! I'm pretty new to this band as I just started checking them out in the last 3 years or so, but I'm very impressed with what I've heard thus far. The tunes have balls and they all have great flow to them with nice riffage everywhere. Overall, I'd say Wolf is one of my favorites these days as far as overall direction and tunage goes.

Check it out!

True METAL for True METAL fans - this band and album is the real deal. Stuff like this will never die. All these other generic DEATH. DEATHCORE, METALCORE, BLACKENED, GRINDCORE, extreme rock and nu-metal bands cannot hold up to the calibur of this type of METAl music.

WOLF encompasses the true spirit of what METAL music should sound like and this being their fifth opus, the band still does not disappoint. Make an effort to obtain all of their recent outputs because they are just as good as RAVENOUS. This album is a strong, solid and powerful statement with an excellent production to back it up.

All hail to the mighty WOLF! May their flame never die.

Highly recommended for fans of MAIDEN, PRIEST, MANILLA ROAD, BATTLEROAR, VIRGIN STEELE, MANOWAR, HELLOWEEN, PRIMAL FEAR, TWISTED TPOWER DIRE, WARLORD, SABBAT (japan), PAGAN ALTER and the ilk.

This definitely delivers the metal goods. Much like their previous albums, they are all metal anthems. The have a certain quality to them that indeed does sound like the Priest/Maiden/Saxon style, but much more modern, and fist pumpin'. Get it and PLAY IT LOUD!

This album is not up to the usual Wolf standards. Yet despite that comment, the album does have its moments here & there. Speed On, Voodoo, Love at First Bite are all quite nice tunes. The title track Ravenous opens with a completely identical riff from The Avenger 2 albums prior & that's the rub with this album. Seems like alot of recycled ideas being reworked into new songs & some songs that just don't excite at all. I love this band but this album is clearly a step down from Evil Star & The Black Flame.