Swedish heavy metal veterans Wolf have released “Walpurgis Night,” the third single and video from their tenth studio album, Hour of the Wolf. The record arrives on November 20 via Fireflash Records/Edel.
Pre-order and pre-save Hour of the Wolf here.
“After ‘Death Satellite’ and ‘Waltz Post-Mortem’, ‘Walpurgis Night’ explores yet another side of WOLF. This song has a dreamlike intro that bursts into heavy riffing and a big chorus that even your tonedeaf grandma can sing along to.”
Niklas Stålvind, vocals and guitars
Like “Death Satellite”, the video was directed by Cannes award winner Snovonne “Sno” Drake. Stålvind says she “took this one further and added more of everything.”
Made Entirely In-House
Wolf recorded Hour of the Wolf in their own studios, with bassist Pontus Egberg, who joined in 2019 and also plays in King Diamond, producing. The nine tracks were written to fit on one side of a 90-minute cassette. The cover is an oil painting by Thomas Holm, the artist behind classic Mercyful Fate and King Diamond covers such as Melissa, Don’t Break the Oath and Abigail. “His work is the antidote to the increasingly common AI ‘art,'” says Stålvind.
Highlights include “The Music of Erich Zann,” a chorus-free, Lovecraft-inspired piece with a drum solo that Stålvind calls his favorite, “Waltz Post-Mortem” with its chorus in 3/4 time, and “Doppelgänger.” The title track was inspired by the Swedish forest outside his door on starlit winter nights.
The album is available on CD, digital and three vinyl editions: Red/Yellow Marbled, Red/Black Splatter (indie exclusive with signed autograph card) and Blue Marbled (Scandinavia exclusive). Bundles are on Bandcamp.
Thirty Years of True Heavy Metal
Stålvind founded Wolf in Sweden in 1995, when traditional heavy metal was considered dead. Inspired by the bands of the 70s and 80s, they helped bring the sound back and are widely seen as originators of the new wave of traditional heavy metal. “We’ve maintained our musical vision for over 30 years,” Stålvind says.
Our Take
Wolf have never chased trends, and “Walpurgis Night” shows why that pays off: twin guitars, a soaring chorus and a dark atmosphere, all delivered with total conviction. Three singles in, Hour of the Wolf sounds like a band still enjoying itself after three decades.
Wolf are: Niklas Stålvind (vocals, guitars), Simon Johansson (guitars), Pontus Egberg (bass), Johan Koleberg (drums).
