Despite all the clichés of Lonewolf's fifth album, from the generic title, Army of the Damned, to the recycled songwriting, it is actually a damn good Power Metal album. I'm not going to give these guys a pass for leaning so heavily on bands like OZ, Grave Digger, Sabaton and, dare I say it, Cryonic Temple, but I am going to applaud them for going balls-out with their performance.
Singer Jens Börner has a gruff, gritty voice that is not unlike Ape DiMartini, Chris Boltendahl and the absent from the metal scene for far too damn long Glen Metal. He croaks the verses and shouts the choruses in a way that makes you not care what he's singing about, just that it probably has something to do with Heavy Metal, Hell or some other topic that's been sung about a million times before. There are really no outstanding performances, but rolled together, Lonewolf really crank. Songs like "Hellbent for Metal" and "Tally Ho" move right along with double-kick drums and singable choruses. Army of the Damned is far more interesting when the tempo is high.
When I say "there's nothing new here" in reference to Army of the Damned, I can't remember a time when I meant it more. Still, Lonewolf play with an energy that is rarely equaled by today's Power Metal bands and that raises Army of the Damned far above its humble makings. Unoriginal, but a lot of fun.
