ALBUM REVIEW: Night Wolf – Raging Speedhorn

RAGING SPEEDHORN is back. There has been no warning, no build up, just a new album announced out of nowhere like a sonic ambush. Some may say it’s a reckless way of releasing music, however, the end result is glorious. Against all the odds, the kings of sludge metal return with their seventh album Night Wolf. Produced by the legendary Russ Russell, this record arrives like a beacon of destruction in the bleak early months of 2025. This is a whole new era for the band, we aren’t just getting the same old SPEEDHORN, we have a new and evolved version. 

Now signed with Spinefarm Records who are home to the likes of heavy weights BULLET FOR MY VALENTINE and EMPLOYED TO SERVE, they also have a new member to introduce to us. Daf Williams gives the band its new line up as he joins the ranks of founding members Frank Regan and Gordon Morrison, backed up by longtime members Jim Palmer, Andy Gilmour and Dan Cook. The fresh blood has clearly ignited something fierce in the band, as Night Wolf is an absolute tour de force.

Surprisingly, RAGING SPEEDHORN don’t jump into proceedings in their usual blunt force trauma way that we’ve come accustomed to over the years. Instead, Blood Red Sky opens the record in an ominous style that slowly builds an atmosphere that is drenched in distorted guitars and shimmering cymbals. It feels like a monster stalking its prey but when the riff finally lands, it does so with devastating effect which compliments the layered and raw vocals perfectly. From here on, everything starts to escalate. Buzz Killa lives up to its name, delivering blistering riffs that are laced with metal flourishes and a fun breakdown combined with chants of “BUZZ KILL”. The Blood Code follows, a track so heavy it could have its own mass. The bassline on display from Gilmour is so infectious, you could find it in a science lab. Can’t Stop continues on from this delivering a defiant anthem that will uncover the rebellious streak that lies within you. 

Now, a RAGING SPEEDHORN record is the last place you’d expect a nod to ELTON JOHN, yet here we are. Every Night Is Alright For Fighting is a riotous track that works as a throwback to the band’s chaotic past as merchants of mischief. It’s packed with a singalong chorus that burrows into your brain like Robert F Kennedy’s brain worm and is practically built for a live setting. The momentum keeps building and building, the album’s title track Night Wolf pummels you before surprising you with a very catchy chorus. DOA then kicks in, somehow upping the intensity with its searing riffs, bringing in a raw and untamed nature to the record.

Comin’ In Hard works as a great rock n’ roll throwback that is a great time all round. Just when you think you’ve been able to collect yourself, Dead Men Can’t Dance arrives unhinged with one hell of a bite. Regan and Cook trade screams in a skirmish to see whose vocals can withstand the intense nature of the track, all the while a towering steam roller of a riff destroys everything in its path. Night Wolf finally comes to a close with Dead Reckoning, a furious two minute monster that chews you up and spits you out that leaves you grinning. 

Night Wolf is a great time all round. From start to finish, it’s a sonic bombardment that leaves you feeling you’ve gone several rounds in a boxing ring without a bell to signal time out. Each track is as incendiary as the last one and only bolsters the discography of RAGING SPEEDHORN. Once these songs are in a live setting, it will be war. Make sure you’ve prepared yourself for it.

Rating: 7/10

Night Wolf is set for release on March 7th via Spinefarm Records.

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