I’ve lost count how many times I’ve buried projects crammed with guests where quality lacks horribly. That’s not the case of Wolfpakk.
This is a project that begun 4 years ago (2011) when two singers, Michael Voss and Mark Sweeney came together with the participation of a load of special guests on almost every band member’s role, from vocals and guitars, to drums and bass. The same recipe is followed on the third album as well with even more impressive names: Michael Kiske, Don Dokken, Joe Lynn Turner, Andi Deris, Mark Storace on vocals, John Norum, Jeff Watson, Doug Aldrich, Axel Rudi Pell on guitars, Bob Daisle, Bareud Courbois, Al Barrow on bass and Mike Terrana, Mark Schulman, Simon Philips, Chris Slade behind the drums.
Name checking goes on forever, but it’s not what makes the difference on “Rise Of The Animals”, it’s the quality of the songs that compiles a great result. Of course, you will find all heavy metal cliches followed note for note on a power metal project with melody playing a key role and the lyrical themes drawing inspiration from wolfs, spells, magic and all the rest. You must also note that despite the fact that “Rise Of The Animal” was supposed to be the third and final part of a trilogy Voss and Sweeney don’t promise that it won’t epxand to a… quadrilogy!
Check out “Rise Of The Animals” with Michael Kiske and Axel Rudi Pell, “Somewhere Beyond” with David Reece on vocals, and John Norum on guitar, “Rider Of The Storm” with Andi Deris singing and the totally Avantasia kind of song, “Highlands” with two Purple family members, Joe Lynn Turner, and Bernie Torme.
