Review POWERWOLF “Wake Up the Wicked”

German power metal outfit Powerwolf was formed in 2004, and two decades later their latest album ‘Wake Up the Wicked’ hits the shelves. As you might expect, Powerwolf stick to their formula for success, which means that they haven’t changed their typical signature sound. This also means that Powerwolf have created songs that can be immediately identified as the work of the German metal powerhouse.

Big melodies, a bombastic sound and the rather unique voice of frontman Attila Dorn are the trademarks of the band and the main elements of “Wake Up the Wicked”. With their catchiness, each of the new songs is instantly memorable, and by the time you’ve listened to the album a second time, songs such as the up-tempo opener “Bless ’em With the Blade” and the dramatic “Viva Vulgata”, with a great break in the second half, have become engraved in your memory.

Dark and slightly sinister, that’s the start of the title track before the band shifts gears. “Wake Up the Wicked” is a thunderous power metal song that leads you towards the anthemic “Joan of Arc”. With a bit of a Celtic vibe, this song fits perfectly into the context of the album.

As some of the melodies are sugar-sweet, you can get the idea that the distance to some kind of pop-metal isn’t that big, but it’s the twin guitars and the partly racing speed that provide enough firepower throughout. Powerwolf have never created faceless songs and tracks like “Thunderpriest” are well done melodic metal anthems.

Another positive thing about the album is that “Wake Up The Wicked” is quite versatile, within the self-imposed framework. OK, there aren’t any big twists, nor can the album shine with unexpected moments or surprises. Nevertheless, the band navigate through the eleven songs with commitment and the attempt to add some variation to their success is successful.

Powerwolf 2024 represents continuity. The five guys follow their musical compass, which will be much appreciated by the fan base. At the same time, metalheads who never considered Powerwolf as a real metal act will find another confirmation of their point of view with “Wake Up The Wicked”. All in all, Powerwolf have crafted again a very popular way of playing heavy metal , and combined with their upcoming spectacular live shows, fans will get their money’s worth.