Leatherwolf - "The Beast" (excerpt, March 2021)

Πρόπερσι οι Leatherwolf παρουσίασαν ένα νέο τραγούδι, το "The Henchmen", προετοιμάζοντας το έδαφος για καινούριο δίσκο μετά από αρκετά χρόνια. Η μπάντα μιλούσε για τέσσερα ολοκληρωμένα τραγούδια και προσδιόριζε την κυκλοφορία του νέου της album για την άνοιξη του 2020.

Για κάποιον λόγο (ίσως εξαιτίας της πανδημίας;) το θέμα έδειχνε να "παγώνει" και μπήκαμε στην άνοιξη του 2021 με τους Leatherwolf να παρουσιάζουν μία ορχηστρική σύνθεση υπό τον τίτλο "The Beast".

Πρόκειται για το πρώτο instrumental κομμάτι των Αμερικανών metallers μετά το (έπος) "Black Knight" από τον δίσκο "Street Ready" που κυκλοφόρησε το μακρινό 1989. Εν έτει 2021 η μπάντα αποτελείται από τους:

➜ Keith Adamiak - vocals
➜ Rob Math - guitars
➜ Geoff Gayer - guitars
➜ Paul Carman - bass
➜ Dean Roberts - drums

Bio: «Long before British metal legends Iron Maiden picked up on the concept, a pack of hungry Huntington Beach, CA-based teenagers, collectively known as Leatherwolf, pioneered and perfected the heavy metal Triple Axe Attack - documented via a trifecta of critically acclaimed and much loved ’80s scorchers.

The eponymous debut EP, expanded to a full-length LP, entitled ‘Endangered Species’ for international release, and a pair of stunning albums for Island Records, ‘Leatherwolf’ and ‘Street Ready’ (yielding the MTV videos ‘The Calling’ and ‘Hideaway’, respectively), saw the band flying the flag of decidedly European-styled metal amidst a sea of formulaic L.A. contemporaries.

After a lengthy self-imposed break, the band’s classic line-up resurfaced in 1999 with a storming live album, ‘Wide Open’, underscoring Leatherwolf’s enduring appeal among metal enthusiasts. The band also made a triumphant return to Europe by special invitation with a one-off gig at the prestigious Wacken Festival in Germany.

In 2006, Leatherwolf emerged with a new line-up, fronted by former Crimson Glory vocalist Wade Black, to once again turn the metal world on its ear with ‘World Asylum’, the band’s heaviest effort to date, which earned top marks in major publications such as Rock Hard and Aardschok.

Leatherwolf also played a much celebrated gig at the Bang Your Head!!! festival alongside In Flames, Foreigner, Helloween and others (documented on the BYH 2006 double DVD). Since then the band has appeared at various high profile events on both sides of the Atlantic, including Rocklahoma, ProgPower, Keep It True, the Monsters of Rock cruise, and the Rock Hard Festival, the latter a national TV live broadcast on Germany’s WDR television.

In addition, the Triple Axe Attack also played their first UK tour in some 28 years in the summer of 2017, earning rave reviews along the way. “Well, I knew they’d be good, but I didn’t think they’d be THAT good”, enthused legendary scribe Dave Ling after attending the London show.

Following up the 2013 release ‘Unchained Live!’, a 10-song assault of classic Leatherwolf, the band is now back in high gear working on a new studio album, with Roy Z (Bruce Dickinson, Judas Priest) co-producing. The latest chapter is being written by guitarists Geoff Gayer and Rob Math, bassist Paul Carman, drummer Dean Roberts and newcomer, local OC diamond in the rough, Keith Adamiak on lead vocals.

New songs ‘Only the Wicked’, ‘The Mask’, ‘Kill the Hunted’, and ‘The Henchmen’ feature all the familiar lupine trademarks fans have come to love, fusing virtuoso musicianship, world class songwriting, jaw dropping guitar interplay and anthemic choruses - proof positive that Leatherwolf continue to be one of the premier purveyors of American metal more than three decades into their career.»