Lonewolf have been around for quite a long time, since the early 90’s though they have managed to release their first album in 2001. Since then, their ventures in the music industry have been quite interesting. Not only have they managed to relocate themselves into the mainstream scene (by signing a record deal with Napalm records back in 2012) but also they avoided warping their music with more commercial modern elements. Of course releasing a cd almost each year since 2012 is no easy task, but for me Lonewolf have actually managed to maintain a standard level of quality.
So here it is the “Heathen Dawn”, the bands eight studio album, and by the time you will read these lines, the band will have a new one in the stores. So what should someone expect to hear from Lonewolf in 2017? Well this is an easy question since Lonewolf seem to care little in altering their benchmark Teutonic sound. So from the very first track the listener will come again across a generic intro followed by a classic heavy/power metal track. Don’t expect innovation or probing in other metal styles, Lonewolf are too stubborn for this. Instead they deliver a stout produced album combined with steady riffing and Borner’s signature clumsy vocals. I will be frank here: Borner is not what someone would call “an ideal singer”, yet his characteristic French accent seems to fit perfectly to the raw Running Wild/Grave Digger style that the band plays loyally for almost thirty years. Therefore “The Heathen Dawn” is no exception to the band’s discography and though the veteran Lonewolf listener might think that he has heard some of the songs before, this should not discourage him from enjoying the album.
In other words this album is the annual dosage of classic Teutonic power metal, so take it or leave it.
