WOLF - Black Wings
May 9, 2002, 21 years ago
(No Fashion)
With Iron Maiden a pale of imitation of their former greatness, an album like Black Wings rekindles the initial joy of discovery surrounding Eddie and crew, regardless of what juncture one jumped upon the good ship HMS Harris. The vocals are the only evidence these aren't some long lost tapes. For students of the NWOBHM, the similarities are uncanny, particularly in terms of the guitars. From the opening riffs of "Night Stalker', to the power-packed 'Genocide' or 'The Curse', Wolf are accurate, down to the tones and drum rolls! Elsewhere, 'I Am The Devil' is the complete embodiment of the British legend, circa Maiden Japan. Speaking of old Nick, the lone cover tune is from Satan's henchmen, Mercyful Fate, 'A Dangerous Meeting', which closes the disc. A more polished and pedestrian 'Unholy Night' presses toward the progressive, until the closing familiarity of machine gunning six-strings. Much like the current Seven Witches platter, Black Wings captures the essence of the bygone era, without merely ripping it off. Just pure nostalgic fun. Get this one for any old school fan who constantly complains about the lack of "good new bands."
