Powerwolf

The fifth full-length from German power metallers Powerwolf, Preachers of the Night is a return to form for the high-energy band. (Their last full-length, Blood of the Saints, was for all its over-the-top dramatics, a more sedate and moody offering from the hook-loving, anthemic act.) Preachers of the Night sees them returning to the atmosphere and aesthetic they're most familiar with: stomping, bombastic rhythms, lycanthropic subject matter, infectious choruses and a relentless, driving momentum. Album opener "Amen and Attack" sets the pace at an all-out sprint that never stops, only occasionally slowing for spookier, classic horror-inspired pieces like "Sacred and Wild" and "Lust for Blood." Atilla Dorn's strong, swooping voice is a highlight, serving as the centerpiece for all of the songs and often is their aesthetic anchor, keeping the vast orchestral passages and swelling organs from overwhelming. While Powerwolf consistently choose drama and excessiveness over subtlety and sophistication, there can be no denying that Preacher of the Night is a fun sermon.