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Wolfpakk

Wolfpakk

BY Wolfpakk

(Customer Reviews)
$14.00
SKU: AFM372-2
Label:
AFM Records
Category:
Metal/Hard Rock
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"WOLPAKK is a project band formed by Michael Voss and Mark Sweeney. They have enlisted as many guest members as possible. Michael Voss used his experience and clout as a producer and previous history in successful bands to help him in his quest to get all these well known and famous musicians to appear on his album. As you can see from the list of guest musicians they are going to have one hell of a time touring! I think some of those guys might be busy. I would guess at least 20 of them will be. That was a lame attempt of a joke. As impressive as the guest list is, the results are not guaranteed to be equally as impressive. I don’t think that simply by recruiting a small army to play on your album means it’s going to be a masterpiece. If the material isn’t there, it doesn’t matter who is on the album. Be that as it may, they have managed to keep it together as you can hear for yourself. The vast experience of all the musicians involved has produced something truly unique. The album contains many elements of the classic Heavy Metal sound with the main emphasis being on melodic Metal.



I like the song “Lost” were a lot of the guests vocalists get in on the act. Michaela Schober is a primary vocalist on the song as she is the only female vocalist on the album it is easy to tell that it’s her. She is very good and the song is has some nice tempo changes. I like the up tempo part with the guitars making the chugging sound we are all so familiar with. I liken it to the dampening (Palm muting) done on all the ICED EARTH albums, but with a slightly lesser heaviness. I find it odd that primary lead vocalist is almost always Voss or >Sweeney. I would have made the most out my guest list if I sounded like Kai because as much as I love his music, the guy is not that great of a singer. He never should have let Ralf Scheepers go and done the GAMMA RAY vocals duties on his own as Ralf is light years ahead of him. “Let Me Die” also has an epic chorus and is a very catchy song. If I had to label the music as one genre and only one, it would have to be the much inclusive melodic Metal tag. You can encompass a wide array of sound with that as a label. The more I think of it, the more it fits.



The album simply isn’t fast enough to be Power Metal and it isn’t soft enough to be AOR. I like a good melodic Metal album as much as anyone. Another great aspect to this project is the very great guitar playing, especially the solos. With so many great players they could pick and choose the best of the best and that is exactly what they have done. This is another album that gets better on repeated spins. The diversity keeps everything fresh. If they do another album I hope they choose a better vocalist to do the majority of the songs. They certainly have the ability to do so. It’s a shame, because with the proper selection of a lead vocalist, the material would be elevated dramatically. The last song on the album is an epic tune weighing in at the ten minute mark, and they use all the talent at their disposal the most out of the entire album on this one long song.



There have been hundreds of project bands over the years and they range in quality all over the board just as does any release in whatever aspect. I applaud their efforts with this band I can say truthfully that it is a success and will sell a few copies from the pedigree alone. I know that is done purposefully in most instances. “Wolfony” starts off slow, then blasts off and, then slows down again as so many ten minute plus long epics tend to do. It provides a great ending to the album. If you are a fan of all star bands, then WOLFPAKK is for you. You know they put a lot of money and effort into this release." - Seattle Pi

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  • Epysode

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  • Iris Divine

    Karma Sown
    Progressive Metal
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  • Black Fate

    Between Visions & Lies
    Power Metal
    "Having existed in some shape or form since 1990, Greece's Black Fate is another band that has been seeking consistency and stability in their career for better than twenty years. Returning to life after a five year absence, the band offers their fourth album, Between Vision & Lies. And they've made a small coup d'etat by adding fellow Greek, guitar wunderkind Gus Drax (ex Biomechanical, Paradox, et al), another musician in search of a stable band.While not necessarily novel or to say that their sound is unique, Black Fate's sound is definitely something of interest and for explanation. It's a hybrid of various metal genres. The foundation is a division between traditional power metal and classic melodic heavy metal, probably larger on the latter. There's also some slight symphonic nuances. Perhaps, the most intriguing element is the inclusion of a solid rock groove in many songs, stealing something from both traditional melodic hard rock and metal.By arrangement, then, these elements are blended in such a way that may suggest progressive metal. You certainly will find this current in many songs including The Game of Illusion, Weight of the World, or State of Conformity. But that last song, along with the following Without Saying a Word, share some of that aforementioned melodic rock accessibility, while still being metal. I would say that Without Saying a Word, an anthem, is the most soaring song here, even stirring the emotions. It's definitely a fine platform for Vasilis Georgiou's strong vocals.Alternatively, songs like Perfect Crime, Weight of the World, and Into The Night can be a thorough thrust of heaviness, borne mostly from the riffage and rhythm section. But these, also, are not without the strength of melody and groove. And no song here is without Drax's terrific guitar wizardry, a strong fusion of traditional rock, neo-classical, and metal fret work. Between the skilled musicianship and versatile arrangements, Black Fate's Between Vision & Lies offers some intriguing music, hybrid heavy metal that suggests more than one listen to enjoy both the creativity and nuances. Here's hoping the band stays stable and returns with more in the future. Recommended." - Dangerdog
    $16.00
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  • Hemina

    Synthetic
    Metal/Hard Rock
    Led by Anubis guitarist Douglas Skene, Hemina delivers their first full length epic, Synthetic. Here's nearly 80 minutes of traditional melodic progressive metal from the land down under.Wading through this lengthy album may be a challenge for some, especially those who are easily put off by prog's excess or extravagance. Those who venture on will be rewarded with, yes, extravagant, but also impressive and entertaining music. A point in case is the lush anthem For All Wrong Reasons. It has that certain texture and melody encourages repeated spins.Of course, with prog, big is always better, usually. Synthetic offer three massive songs: To Conceive a Plan, And Now to Find a Friend, and the closer Divine. These things offer the typical Dream Theater-style grandeur and glory. Well that's rather expected on a trad prog project, some of the best pieces are the shorter ones such as Even in Heaven, Haunting Me, and The Boy is Dead, although later still clocks in a nine minutes.Notable is the musicianship, especially the stunning guitar work by Skene and Mitch Coull. Even better is the breadth and depth of the vocal arrangements, with every band member contributing. Bassist Jessica Martin's voice adds delightful timbre to many songs, especially the aforementioned For All Wrong Reasons. Finally, and perhaps the best characteristic, there's no attempts at modern nuances like adding death vocals.Hemina's Synthetic may be massive and extravagant, but that simple makes it a tour-de-force of melodic progressive metal. Quite recommended." - DangerDog.com
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  • Pendragon

    Men Who Climb Mountains 2019 (2CD)
    Progressive Rock
    "Men Who Climb Mountains 2019 is an updated version of the 2014 release. This version is the same as the one included in the First 40 Years box set and only now becomes available as a separate release double CD. All the drums have been re recorded by new drummer Jan Vincent Velazco, and the whole album has been remixed by Karl Groom and Nick Barrett."Disc 1Belle AmeBeautiful SoulCome Home JackIn BardoFaces Of LightFaces Of DarknessFor When The Zombies ComeExplorers Of The InfiniteNetherworld Disc 2 Live At TwigsThe VoyagerA Man Of  Nomadic TraitsThis Green And Pleasant LandNostradamusPaintboxKing Of The CastleIndigo FreakshowMasters Of IllusionSpace CadetEdge Of The WorldIt’s only MeOur original write up:Its been three years since the last Pendragon album.  To be honest I hadn't checked in on them in quite some time so it was interesting to listen to their latest - it was very different from what I expected.  Guitarist Nick Barrett has gone all Roger Waters on us - he wrote all the music and lyrics - so this really has evolved very much into a personal vehicle for him.  The usual bandmates of Peter Gee and Clive Nolan are on board and now joined by new drummer Craig Blundell.  Men Who Climb Mountains is a concept album but Barrett isn't spelling it out - you're going to have to work at this one.  The musical mission of the band has clearly changed over the years.  Don't have any hesitation - its full on prog but much more contemporary sounding.  The symphonic flourishes from the old days aren't quite so obvious - which isn't to say you won't notice Clive Nolan's presence.  Its simply that this is a bit more of a guitar driven vehicle than decades ago and Barrett's mournful solos have that nice Hackett-esque feel that always draws my attention.  I have to say I'm impressed.  Highly recommended.
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  • Jaded Star

    Memories From The Future
    Power Metal
    "Maxi Nil (ex Visions of Atlantis) and Raphael Saini (ex Iced Earth) after touring the world and captivating audiences along the way, decided to join forces and re enter the music world as Jaded Star!Exploding with energy, experience and drive the band's debut album "Memories From The Future" is ready.Produced by Maxi Nil, mixed and mastered by Fredrik Nordstrom at the legendary Fredman Studios in Sweden, this album showcases Maxi's electrifying vocals and the masterful drum work Saini is known for.Guitar hero Kosta Vreto with his unique finger strumming style, eschews the plectrum in favor of a raw, organic sound that literally comes straight through his hands. Babis Nikou on the bass brings a solid foundation and the chemistry between he and Maxi as the song writing team provides emotion to match the power of the sound.The elements are there, the forces have aligned, the Jaded Star is ready to shine!" 
    $5.00
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  • Silent Force

    Rising From Ashes (Digipak)
    Melodic Metal
    Digipak edition with bonus track."These Power Metal merchants are held in high regard thanks to their personnel who have the experience, plus the previous four albums by Silent Force have held the attention mixing the hooks with rampant guitar riffs and their flair for clinical execution.Their last album, 'Walk The Earth', was unleashed back in 2007 so there has been plenty of water under the proverbial bridge leading up to this release.One notable difference for fans of Silent Force is the absence of D.C. Cooper on lead vocals. He has returned to the mighty Danish Melodic Progressive Rock band Royal Hunt and on this album is replaced by Michael Bormann known for his work with Bloodbound and Powerworld.Known as the main brain behind these Metal marauders, Alex Beyrodt starts the proceedings with some Yngwie Malmsteen style fretwork before 'Caught In Their Wicked Game' runs loose. Fast paced and ready to eliminate the competition the band sound hungry and eager to please.The new vocalist here really complements the sound, but may have some struggles winning over purists who yearn for their favourite original singer. 'There Ain't No Justice' and 'Circle Of Trust' both thrust the sword through the torso as the energy remains relentless.I really enjoyed the opening salvo of these three songs the first time I heard this album, through to the fifth spin and so on. The latter of these three tracks retains a pop sensibility, but loses none of the Metal credentials that you'd expect from this band.Not much to find fault about regarding 'Living To Die' which doesn't have the same prominent and obvious hooks as the previous songs, but still retains the quality. Listen out for some tasty keys from Alessandro Del Vecchio in the song 'Before You Run' and there's some mean riffing throughout 'You Gotta Kick It'. The balancing trick between the keys and guitar is the love affair that makes this album so appealing to the ears. They are the real stars from start to finish.Sarah has a lot to answer for as 'Turn Me Loose' tackles a relationship lyrically and maintains the groove in the backdrop. Solid drumming from André Hilgers keeps the good ship Silent Force on course providing a solid backbone, but is still unable to save this song from being below par in comparison to the rest. Perhaps slipping a little through the gears and reaching auto-pilot, 'Born To Be A Fighter' goes through the numbers competently enough, but the sparks aren't flying.Meanwhile, 'Anytime Anywhere' picks up the level of quality and mixes things up with a fine arrangement oozing melodies at each turn. This brings us to the final track 'Kiss Of Death' which chugs along like your favourite Metal anthem. The chorus stands up well and is a great way to round off what overall has been an enjoyable journey.Eight out of ten of the songs here are monuments to their reputation and abilities. Top quality musicianship, crisp production and power found in the crevices are all that I was hoping for initially, plus a feisty and strong delivery from the new vocalist. Thankfully, they tick the boxes consistently apart from a couple of weaker tracks that don't quite reach up to the benchmark they set with the rest of the album. Let power and melody unite in a blissful collision once more, as album number five aligns itself with their back catalogue." - Metal Talk  
    $16.00
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  • My Soliloquy

    The Interpreter ($5 Blowout Price!)
    Progressive Metal
    My Soliloquy is a British band formed in 2002 by multi-instrumentalist Pete Morten.  Since then the band has released a number of demos, gaining traction in the metal underground. The band had a number of notable support shows with Pagans Mind, Power Quest, Oliver and Rick Wakeman, and Threshold, as well as a second-to-headline set at Bloodstock 05 and a showcase at 2007’s ProgPower UK II.Since 2007, Morten has been an active member of British prog metal legends Threshold.  His membership has raised awareness (and created anticipation) for My Soliloquy’s long awaited debut.The essence of My Soliloquy is pure forward thinking metal – symphonic keyboards, shredding guitar leads, soaring vocals – all finely woven together with a blend of intricacy and melody.  The Interpreter was mixed and mastered by Rob Aubrey who has been a mainstay of Marillion’s camp for many years.
    $5.00
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  • Custodian, The

    Necessary Wasted Time
    Post Progressive
    The Custodian is a new British post-progressive rock band formed by Richard Thomson, vocalist for cinematic death metal band Xerath.  Unlike Xerath, The Custodian is an outlet for the more melodic, rock oriented writing from Thomson.While there are moments in the album that harken back to old school bands like Genesis and Yes, the music of The Custodian is contemporary in sound.  Necessary Wasted Time is an album full of dynamics - light and dark shadings balancing acoustic vs electric, heavy vs pastoral.  While atmospherics and tension are a strong component of the album, the band demonstrates their adept musicianship offering up long instrumental passages to complement the emotion filled vocals.  When needed the band unleashes some complex electric runs.The Custodian's debut should deeply resonate with fans of Steven Wilson, Riverside, Pineapple Thief, and Anathema.Necessary Wasted Time was mixed by noted engineer Jacob Hansen and give the full audiophile mastering treatment from Bob Katz. 
    $5.00
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  • Withem

    The Point Of You
    Progressive Metal
    Withem is an up and coming Norwegian progressive metal band, inspired by the likes of Symphony X, Pagan’s Mind, Dream Theater and Circus Maximus.The band started to take shape in 2011 when Øyvind Voldmo Larsen (guitars) and Ketil Ronold (keyboards) met the gifted drummer Frank Nordeng Røe. Soon they were joined by the vocal talents of Ole Aleksander Wagenius and bass duties were taken care of by the special guest Andreas Blomqvist from Seventh Wonder.Withem’s debut offers varied sonic landscapes for the listener to explore, ranging from guilty-pleasure choruses permeated with memorable vocal hooks, to symphonic epic themes.  The unique vocal range of Ole Aleksander Wagenius gives the band a distinctive touch to tackle the overcrowded progressive metal scene.The passion and dedication put into the album is emphasized by the countless hours spent in studio perfecting each individual performance and making sure that the end result is a world class blend of progressive, symphonic and power metal.The Point Of You was mastered by Markus Teske (Vanden Plas, Saga, Spock's Beard)
    $6.00
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