Wolfpack Unleashed (Austria) is another band centered on the emerging thrash revival movement that is taking off right now. Fully armed with a sound that recalls some of the finer points of classic Metallica (vocals) and Testament, there are also some melodic contemporary influence of… say… Shadows Fall. Vocalist Gunther Wirth has a pretty diverse attack that can even get guttural at times-- especially, in the verses of the almost Megadeth sounding "Next Victim" or to a lesser extent, "Killing Fields". I wish he would maintain that attack for the entire disc because there are times when the music can come off as thrash-lite (with the Machine Head breakdowns and harmony style melodies) and the vocals gives the music a darker feel that allows it to feel more legitimate. But make no mistake…they can deliver the goods. "Disgraced Erased" features some nice soloing and heavy-as- hell riffing that is damn convincing and fairly brutal; compliments of the intense playing the band brings to most of the proceedings. This is not quite original enough and I would like to hear a little more tech in this modern thrash of today, but these guys are moving in a good direction. Pretty good songs with some memorable choruses and melodic interplay all the way around; check them out at their website and hear what they are bringing to the new breed of thrash.
Track Listing
1. Last Dance of a Dying King
2. Religion of Control (radio edit)
3. Next Victim
4. Killing Fields
5. Disgraced Erased
6. Warzone
7. To Challenge Death
8. Eroica
9. Wolfpack Unleashed
10. Religion of Control (full version)