In the grand tradition of underrated, fellow Chicagoans, Forest of Impaled, Blood of the Wolf erupt from the Midwest with a stellar sophomore release of pummeling, blood pumping blackened, death/war metal  and it’s  a god damn scorcher.

I have not heard the band’s debut  I: The Law of Retaliation, but you can bet I’ll be rectifying that asap, as II: Campaign of Extermination is a down right killer release, but with veterans from notable underground  Chicago acts like Rellik, Earthen, Kommondant and Withering Soul,  that’s no surprise.

While Forest of Impaled certainly immediately sprang to mind, Blood of the Wolf have a little more death metal beef that imbues the likes of mid era Behemoth and Hate’s Erebos, (especially the superb, imposing ,bellowed vocals of Mike Koniglio) so a bit of Poland mired in there (it is Chicago after all) . The engineering and master job from new comer (at least to me)  Joe Tiberi has teeth and heft, the riffs have a searing militant prose and just the right amount of blistering melody, and the whole effort is littered with rousing, seething tracks that command your attention.

Standout moments are abound, but notably the relentless title track, downright searing “With Fire and a Thousand Flashing Blades” (Is that  a hint of Abigor’s ‘Rise of Our Tribe” I hear?), the stern, killer mid paced march of “Beneditio Ultionis” and perfectly named “Erupting Volcanic Wrath” certainly will get your attention and have you seeing red in a berzerker like blood lust. Closer “A Sermon of Slaughtered Foes” even shows the bands moodier, restrained side before unleashing pure hell and ending the effort with perfect restraint and closure.

These guys should be picked up by a label immediately if there is any justice in the world (pity Deepsend or Blasthead Records are no more- how about you Horror Pain Gore Death?) as its a top notch release with a major label production, song writing and presence and is one of the more impressive self released American albums of the last few years. Fucking get it.

[Visit the band's website]

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