One of the best examples of German Melodic Metal that we'll get this year.

Fresh from his involvement with not one but two German Hard Rock "super-groups", Rock Wolves and Phantom V's guitarist, singer, song-writer and producer Michael Voss is back with another album. Alongside his collaborator Mark Sweeney from Swiss Rockers Crystal Ball, this is the fourth, very enjoyable, instalment of their Melodic Metal project Wolfpakk. The format remains the same as the previous records; Voss and Sweeney create the songs and big name singers and musicians guest, adding their character to the tracks. There are a whopping twenty-six guests in total! However, apart from a couple of guest slots, the effective, pounding rhythm section of Voss and Gereon is a fixture throughout, as are the backing vocals of Voss, Sweeney and Jean Marc Viller. This works well as it gives the record a cohesive feel despite the coming and goings of all the guests.

The opening song 'Falling' features Claus Lessmann, the ex-Bonfire singer and Voss's recent band-mate in PV. It's heavier and more Metal than that band and is a great, energetic start to the album. The record is at its best on the up-tempo numbers where they come out teeth bared, snarling and thirsty for blood on the likes of 'Run All Night', the Pop Metal of 'Inside The Animal Mind', which is sung rabidly by the Victory man Jioti Parcharidis, and 'I'm Onto You' where ex-W.A.S.P. man Chris Holmes pops up.

The Oliver Hartmann sung 'No Remorse' and the Steve Grimmett (Grim Reaper), song 'Scream Of The Hawk' have a satisfying Avantasia-like bombast about them. The American Indian chanting on the unmistakable, Biff Byford-fronted tale of Sitting Bull entitled 'Blood Brothers' adds a further dimension. When they take their foot off the gas the songs are less compelling. Having said that, 'Mother Earth' is a strong song with Ronnie Atkins' (Pretty Maids) world-weary delivery and Simone Christinat's otherworldly humming helping to elevate this track above the other slower songs.

When you include other guests who all add their class to the songs like George Lynch, Danny Vaughn, Timo Somers (Delain), Night Ranger's Brad Gillis, Thunderstone's Pasi Rantanen and Rudy Sarzo, you can be sure this is one of the best examples of German Melodic Metal that we'll get this year.

Duncan Jamieson