Powerwolf has always been a very consistent band, having never put out a bad listen, and their latest release Blessed & Possessed could well be their best release yet – it’s one of those albums that just gets stuck in your head and makes you want to listen to it over and over again.
One of the best things about Powerwolf is that there aren’t really any other bands that sound quite like them; from the striking operatic-style male vocals to the heavy guitars and of course the prolific organ lines, there’s no mistaking this band for another. Blessed & Possessed showcases Powerwolf on top form, building on what made their previous five albums so good whilst also bringing something new to the table – whilst there aren’t many differences genre-wise, there’s a clear progression from their last album Preachers Of The Night, with this one sounding crisp and epic in comparison to its dark and sinister sounding predecessor.
An early highlight of the album is Dead Until Dark, which features a chorus so catchy that you can’t help but want to sing along to it, and it really leaves an impression on you. The vocals are striking by themselves, but when coupled with the adventurous and energetic instrumentation, it really makes the song something special and is easily one of the strongest tracks of the release.
iAnother great inclusion is mini-epic Sanctus Dominus. Opening with choral-style layered vocals before progressing into thick instrumentation complete with a guitar solo, you can instantly tell it’s going to be a classic, and when the song strips back to just feature the vocals with more simplistic instrumentation, the passion in the delivery really shines through before it’s “business as usual” when the chorus rolls round with a truly triumphant performance.
Powerwolf have created an absolute beast with Blessed & Possessed and it’s absolutely their strongest release to date – this is a truly special album that shows Powerwolf reaching a new high.
10/10
