POWERWOLF - WAKE UP THE WICKED

While they don't need North American validation (hell, they bypassed the continent for years and worked themselves to festival headliner status, without us), but now that they'll start the Wake Up The Wicked global trek in the States, where there IS a rabid undercurrent of support, the latest eleven offerings take on greater importance. They've been recording for almost 20 year (longer than some of their fans have been alive!), but sort of hit their "comfort zone" a few albums back, a formula that isn't radically altered here.

My main "complaint" on recent discs was embracing the younger, often female audience, at the expense of the speedier numbers, as well as the tongue-in-cheek religious pokes in the eye. Good to see both are back, beginning with the opening "Bless "Em With The Blade". It races, start to finish, and is over in just 2:47, the shortest inclusion (although only one cracks four minutes, and by just four seconds!). Probably seen the pre-release video for "Sinners Of The Seven Seas" already. Nice to hear the sparingly use of Latin lyrics, like the early days, on this one and elsewhere on the platter, including regal follow-up "Kyrie Klitorem".

On a bouncy, mid-paced folk melody, "Heretic Hunters" has a build-in audience sing-along chorus, although the multi-voice, orchestral choir might be a bit too much for smaller stages. Obscure historical track this time around is "1589", the tale of Peter Stumpp, the werewolf of Bedburg (Germany). Convicted of 16 murders, as well as accusations of witchcraft and cannibalism, he, his daughter and mistress were all tortured, executed and bodies burned. His severed head was posted on a pole as a warning against similar activities.