ALBUM REVIEW: Shadowland – Wolf

Swedish lads WOLF have been around since the mid-90s and carved out quite a respectable career in that time. They’ve got eight albums and multiple tours under their belts, but have never really troubled the heavy metal mainstream. One listen to Shadowland, their upcoming ninth record, and you may be able to guess why. These guys are dyed-in-the-wool old school metalheads of the denim and leather variety. It’s upbeat, crunchy and a lot of fun, but it also sounds like something your dad plays on the school run in the hope it impresses your mates.

These are songs with crystal-clear guitar solos, galloping melodies and a singer who’s more air-raid siren than man. From the opening riff to the closing moments of the album, Shadowland is proper ‘dad metal’. You’ll cringe as your old man shouts “this rocks” while blasting it in a traffic jam, but secretly play Dust when he’s not around. WOLF are proud flag-wavers for traditional metal and it wouldn’t be a surprising if their record collections consist of the SAXON discography and literally nothing else.

Obviously, this isn’t going to appeal to anyone who thinks traditional metal has had its day, but loyalists will love it. Songs like Visions For The Blind and The Time Machine are enjoyable anthems with excellent guitar work. If you need to psyche yourself up, dust off your motorcycle jacket and go for a ride on a Harley, look no further. Into The Black Hole is catchy as hell and Evil Lives is a hugely entertaining throwback. Had it come out a few decades earlier, it could easily have appeared on the Wayne’s World soundtrack.

While Shadowland is entertaining though, it does have problems. The songs are decent enough but there’s no standout classic to really make you pay attention. It’s crying out for something on par with DIO’s Holy Diver or ACCEPT’s Balls To The Wall, but they don’t quite manage it. Plus, it’s too long. It’s just shy of an hour and starts to drag towards the end, especially as there’s not much variation between the songs.

The appeal of Shadowland is probably going to be quite limited then, but WOLF diehards won’t be disappointed. The songs are well-written, the musicians are all very talented and they clearly love what they do. It’s a bit cheesy sometimes, but for an old-fashioned, beer-drinking, hell-raising metal album that could have been recorded in the 80s, it’s not at all bad. It’s not amazing but it is entertaining enough to warrant a recommendation.

Rating: 6/10

Shadowland is set for release on April 1st via Century Media Records.

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