Live releases are often a hit or miss affair. It is incredibly hard to capture the magic of a live performance on tape. There is a perfect balance needed to perform the material tight, but not sound exactly like the original recording.
Power metal titans Powerwolf have been riding a tremendous wave of success lately and have dropped their first official live release at the perfect time. The Metal Mass – Live release was recorded live at Turbine Halle, Oberhausen, Germany on October 2nd, 2015.
Powerwolf’s accomplishments of late have elevated them to the top of the genre. They are producing music as good as anyone playing power metal today and have built a huge fan base. The set list is varied with material spanning their entire career except for their debut offering. The majority of the songs are from their last three albums, which have been their most successful.
Vocalist Attila Dorn sounds incredible as he retains all of his power and character in the live setting. His in between banter is spoken in German but one can hear his playful interaction with the audience.
“Armata Strigolo,” despite being released on their latest album Blessed & Possessed, still plays like an all time classic. The crowd breaks down and sings along with Attila like its straight out of an Iron Maiden concert. The mood transports you right to the concert and you cannot help but to chant along.
The strength of Powerwolf has always been built on their songwriting and the material presented here is overflowing with it. Classic tracks like “All We Need Is Blood,” “Resurrection By Erection,” and “We Drink Your Blood” plays spectacularly in a live setting. The largest part of the set (five songs) comes from 2013’s hugely successful Preachers of the Night. Led by the quick paced “Amen & Attack” and “Cardinal Sin,” they showcase the talent of the band brilliantly.
Powerwolf’s lyrics and visual effects are made for the live environment. Dealing in werewolves, anti-religious and horror themes make for a spectacular visual effect. Power metal is an acquired taste, especially Powerwolf as they are campy and incredibly over the top, but their material is as memorable as anyone playing the genre today.
There are multiple versions that are being released with the Blu-ray and DVD versions containing three different complete live shows and live CD. There are also two separate documentaries and all of their promotional video clips included.
(released August 19th, 2016 on Napalm Records)
