Powerwolf

One of Germany’s leading metal bands, Powerwolf combine high-speed guitar work and thundering drums with forceful vocals and dark fantasy themes — the Roman Catholic church, werewolves, and vampires are frequent topics. Emerging in 2005, the band’s first taste of success came with the release of their third long-player, Bible of the Beast, but it was their 2013 Napalm Records debut, Preachers of the Night, that helped place them at the fore of the German metal scene. The band continued to spin gold both at home and abroad with subsequent efforts like Blessed & Possessed (2015), The Sacrament of Sin (2018), and Call of the Wild (2021).
Powerwolf were formed in 2003 by guitarist Matthew Greywolf (born Benjamin Buss) and bassist Charles Greywolf (born David Vogt), two musicians who had been working together for years. Teaming with keyboard player Falk Maria Schlegel and drummer Stéfane Funèbre, the new group had trouble finding a lead singer who suited their vision until a visit to Romania where Matthew and Charles met Attila Dorn (born Karsten Brill), who had a strong voice as well as a passion for tales of werewolves, vampires, and evil spirits. The band became known as Powerwolf, with Dorn’s lyrics meshing with the group’s music, and they scored a deal with Napalm Records, which released their debut album, Return in Bloodred, in 2005. Metal Blade Records signed Powerwolf to a North American deal, and their second album, Lupus Dei, a concept album devoted to werewolf lore, appeared in 2007. Released in 2009, Bible of the Beast proved to be Powerwolf’s final album with Stéfane Funèbre, with new drummer Roel van Helden joining in 2010. Powerwolf’s fourth album, Blood of the Saints, appeared in the summer of 2011, and a live album, Alive in the Night, was released in 2012. Powerwolf signed with Capitol/Universal for the North American release of 2013′s Preachers of the Night, while Napalm Records continued to represent the band in Germany, where the album debuted on the sales charts at number one. 2015 saw the release of the band’s much-anticipated sixth studio long-player Blessed and Possessed, and in 2016, Powerwolf issued their first DVD/Blu-Ray, the sprawling Metal Mass: Live. 2018 heralded the arrival of album number seven, The Sacrament of Sin, which featured the singles “Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend” and “Fire & Forgive.” 2020 saw the group combine a “best of” and “live album” in Best of the Blessed: alongside tour recordings and classic hits, the compilation featured re-recordings of the band’s most iconic songs. Early 2021 marked the arrival of the punishing single “Beast of Gévaudan,” ahead of the release of their eighth studio effort, Call of the Wild, which appeared later that summer. ~ Mark Deming