Metal's most ludicrous and fun werewolves delivered their seventh outing last year, continuing the tried and true formula of catchy lyrics, powerful and melodic instrumental and lots and lots of songs about important things such as being best friends with a demon, forgiving your enemies by setting fire to them and teaching several ways to insert lycanthropy and religion to your lyrics.
All jokes aside, Powerwolf managed to craft their art close to perfection, and while the silly aesthetics and overall idea can be discouraging to some, the Germans more than make up for it with monstrous riffs by the Greywolf brothers and the unique—almost Gregorian at times—vocals by longtime frontman Attila Dorn. Tracks like "Incense and Iron," "Nighttime Rebel" and the awesome ballad (a good Powerwolf ballad? What?!) "Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone" are actually fresh compositions and slightly different than what the band is used to do, while songs like the classic blood-pumping opener "Fire & Forgive," the title track and the awesome "Nightside of Siberia" serve perfectly as bread-and-butter.
The Sacrament of Sin is the best Powerwolf album since Blood of the Saints (2011), their most ambitious one, and easily their most varied in terms of songwriting and pace. Add to that a fucking great album cover and you got yourself a winner.
