Band:	Wolf
Album:	Devil Seed
Style:	Heavy metal
Release date:	August 25, 2014
A review by:	Doc G.

01. Overture In C Shark
02. Shark Attack
03. Skeleton Woman
04. Surgeons Of Lobotomy
05. My Demon
06. I Am Pain
07. Back From The Grave
08. The Dark Passenger
09. River Everlost
10. Frozen
11. Killing Floor

Wolf, is and always has been, what this "new wave of the old school style" always tries to accomplish. Creating a new sound from old pieces. So many young(er) bands attempt it, most come across as disposable nostalgia acts. Wolf have always danced that fine line without stepping over completely, giving them their edge. And so it continues with Devil Seed.

That is what has always been commendable about this band, the fact that their love of NWOBHM is made blatant without sounding like a group of fanboys still trapped in daddy's record collection. Devil Seed is a continuation of what they've done on every album so far. The Thin Lizzy, Judas Priest and Iron Maiden love is still there, and so is the distinct Wolf sound. Too bad this is one of their weaker efforts.

Rest assured, the downfall of this album not for any over-nostalgic reasons. Devil Seed is just a pretty monotonous, somewhat lazily paced album. Each individual track is fantastically distinct: "I Am Pain" has that jaunty, Thin Lizzy feel, while "Dark Passenger" throws off vibes of The Cult. Each song has its own flavor. However, aside from *"Shark Attack", there aren't any real "ragers" on this album. It's all fairly mid-paced, which makes the broad picture more than a little boring. Every Wolf album thus far had a nice balance of steady stompers and pedal-to-the-floor ragers weaving in and out of one another. This album lacks that variety.

Ultimately it's a fairly decent addition to the Wolf catalogue, even if a little boring due to the single-mindedness of it.

*This review would have rated it a dismal 1 out of 10 had they the audacity to name a track "Shark Attack" and not made it a rager. Just on principle, ya know?