Valkyrian Music

Band: Powerwolf
Album: Blood Of The Saints
Release year: 2011
Genre: Power Metal/Werewolf Metal 

Powerwolf, well known for their grim sounding music, are back with their latest album “Blood Of the Saints”. The band’s keyboardist Falk described the album as “100% Powerwolf” and stated it will take off from where “Bible Of The Beast” finished. The new album [Blood Of The Saints] was recorded in five different studios and a church and brings back the use of classical elements that were also found on the previous album.

”Angus Dei” [Latin for the Lamb of God] is the introductory track of the album. The choir and church bells create a very grim, dark and eerie sound and atmosphere. The narrated voiceover adds emphasis to the haunting sound, as do the organs that soon follow. The track ends somewhat terrifyingly when the voiceover grimly says “Blood Of The Saints”. “Sanctified With Dynamite” starts brilliantly with the combination of vocals, guitars, organs and drums. Shortly after, the track is soon more guitar and drums orientated, speeding up the pace of the song. The vocals mix a strong operatic sound with a raw, almost-thrash metal sound which is interesting – Though in some sections, the vocals are purely operatic. The organs add the dark sound to the music which Powerwolf are so famous. The drums mix well with the changing sounds in the song as well.

The grizzly titled “We Drink Your Blood” begins with an interesting keyboard medley that is soon enough replaced by a heavy, face-melting guitar section – Fortunate for those who may not like keyboard medleys. The vocals are still raw sounding with that touch of operatic sound, though much lower on this song – Which isn’t a bad thing. The chorus well composed, adding a grim touch to the lyrics. The organ sections help bring a touch of Victorian-styled horror to the song and the drums are precise to the beat. The choir style vocals help the song sound extra Gothic.

“Murder At Midnight” seems like a name for a cheesy 1950s horror movie but the track is far from cheesy. Beginning with a slow, atmospheric guitar riff, the vocals creep in softly, painting the musical canvas with brilliant lyrics. After the first vocal section, the song picks up the pace and becomes heavier as well. Musically, the song seems a tad cheery for what a Powerwolf track though the vocals assure the listener that it is still Powerwolf that they’re listening to. The organs add a gloomy touch to the song when they’re played. Some of the riffs are pretty melodic, adding a brilliant sound to the song. The guitar solo virtually completes the song. The use of a wolf’s howl after the solo is a great effect for the song. The next track, “All We Need Is Blood”, begins with strong, low-sounding operatic vocals, choirs and organs. The guitars and drums, fortunately, follow straight after bringing an assault of metal of with them. Lyrics that are heard in the song such as “All we need is blood” makes the song sound like a vampire metal anthem, though any fan of Powerwolf will know there’s another story within the lyrics. “All We Need Is Blood” is certainly one of the best songs on the album, both lyrically and musically, as it changes sounds several times, making it a worthy power metal anthem!

”Dead Boys Don’t Cry” has a haunting introduction made up of primarily organs and vocals with a slight use of guitars. When the guitars begin to dominate the track, the temp increases massively. The vocals are more raw and aggressive than they have been. Even the music seems to have more bite to it. “Son Of A Wolf” brings back the use of melodic riffs with a raw edge. The vocals and organs add a very grim atmosphere and sound to the song. The guitars and drums are well played and the guitar solo is amazing. “Night Of The Werewolves” starts with a soft, palm-muted intro which is slightly drowned out by the organs and vocals. The power metal sound comes belting out of the speakers straight after however, favouring aggression and speed over melody it seems. The vocals mix their raw sound with an operatic sound once more. The riffs sound violent and bloodthirsty and the drums despite being precise, have a hint of barbaric aggressiveness to them. The vocal melodies in the chorus are hypnotic and catchy. The raw sounding narration, spoken in Latin, adds a very unique sound to the song.

”The Phantom Of Funeral” begins with choirs and organs, giving it a very dramatic feel. The vocals are, again, raw and angsty. The guitars don’t have much punch to them on this track in some sections. The vocal are extremely impressive throughout this track and the drums are masterfully played. “Die, Die, Crucified” begins with a very catchy riff which stays in the listener’s head for hours on end. The vocals are back to sounding more operatic. The use of melodic riffs make their return to this track as well for the chorus. The vocals are very majestic sounding, which is strange for Powerwolf but works awesomely at the same time.

The album finishes with “Ira Sancti (When The Saints Go Wild)”. The intro organ section sounds eerily similar to the keyboard riffs of “Nymphetamine” by Cradle Of Filth. The vocals blend well with the organ section before the guitars and drums kick in. The organ and vocals carry on doing their part even when the chaos of guitars and drums break in. The track is mostly dominated by organs and vocals, though the other instruments do appear in various sections. “Ira Sancti (When The Saints Go Wild)” brings a very mystical end to the album.

”Blood Of The Saints” is an interesting album from the Teutonic-Romanian metallers that are “Powerwolf”. They have outdone themselves with the mixture of metal, choirs and classical elements. While some tracks are fairly mellow, the others have plenty of bite, so there’s plenty for everyone on this album – even if you’re not a fan of Powerwolf’s unique form of power metal, this album is worth every penny and would make a great addition to your album collection.

4.5/5

Nico Davidson