Return once more to the wilderness. Embrace your inner wolf, be that much more primal, and join SHEWOLF across the wilderness that is their debut self-titled album.
There is certainly the element of theatrical mystery and mystique about SHEWOLF. The line-up consists of Angel Wolf-Black as The Shaman who is joined by her wolfpack: The Hunter (guitars), The Predator (bass) and The Alpha (drums) who all sport wolf masks, hiding their true selves. This allows the naturalisation of the Canis Lupus to take precedence through music and unifies the group with the symbolism of loyalty, family, and friendship.
Vocalist Angel Wolf-Black is perfect for the melodic metal mastery throughout channelling the primal symbolism of the wolf in its entirety, this is reflected across the ballads of the album and some of the heavier pieces too. The primal symbolism is also nurtured through the Pagan imagery conjured up through the themes explored herein.
In the opening gambit, The One You Feed, it references trying to understand the chains of destiny and the master that is fate: “Every step you take, try to understand. Choice is in your heart, feed it from your hand” but realising that we are masters of our own path, and we choose how best to travel the road in front of us.
The main single release from the album Lone Wolf talks through standing up to obstacles that prevent you from being able to do as you please “while you run away, trouble is here to stay. Follow your destiny, stars will light your way.” This further encapsulates that we oversee our own destinies and that we should not be burdened by others who prevent us from making our dreams a reality. It is motivational towards breaking down the walls and battling our demons.
The ballad Nothing Is Forever, is of a much slower pace compared to some of the other tracks included. Can this track be interpreted metaphorically when a member of the wolfpack falls or is it more from a personal nature: “Don’t weep for me, keep moving on, let the seasons change, time will heal” It does certainly make you take a step back and analyse what has occurred previously in the album too.
The Thrill Of The Chase does remind one of the KAMELOT song Veil of Elysium which is not a bad thing at all, with its sweeping melodies, tempo shifts and a period of reflection as showcased within the lyrics: “Kingdoms fall in silence of the night. Sharpened blades and soil between our teeth when ravens fly above the highway, we’ll always know it’s time”
There is certainly a feel of TEMPERANCE and VISIONS OF ATLANTIS throughout and this is totally understandable because of the compositions are courtesy of the maestros that are Michele Guaitoli and Marco Pastorino. It needs to be understood that these songs are not mere throwaways that didn’t make the cut for the aforementioned bands, each one holds up on its own. There is an eclectic mix of styles showcased across all ten tracks, from symphonic touches, folk, and the melodic power metal riffs that we all enjoy.
One can easily get lost within the animal imagery showcased across all ten of the tracks. There are songs that make you feel part of the said wolfpack which symbolise strength and unity and others that pose a state of reflection to challenge our demons and better ourselves too. It symbolically follows the trials and tribulations of a wolfpack roaming across the wilderness throughout the course of their lifetime which are indeed the perfect metaphors for our day to day lives too. I would really like to see how the theatrical image of the group would transcend over into a live setting as there are plenty of options that can be utilised to achieve this.
Rating: 9/10
Words: Martin White
Shewolf is out now.
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