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This double
album follows on from the release of the long overdue third album ‘Victim
Of The Spotlight’ from one of the most underrated bands ever to come out
of Canada in the 80's, namely White Wolf.
When the band
first released their first two albums back in the mid 80’s, they were
quickly propelled on to the world stage with tours throughout the US and
Canada, together with a reputation rapidly growing in both Europe and
Japan, but the band decided to called it a day so early in their career.
However, since the overwhelming response and positive reviews to their
long awaited third release, Escape Music have decided to put together this
special double CD digipack containing the bands first two classic albums,
plus three additional bonus video clips.
These albums
once again highlight just what a talent the band were and how they could
very well have gone all the way to the top if they had stayed together.
The first of the albums is 'Standing Alone' which was originally release
in 1984 and marked the beginning for the band with Don Wolf on vocals.
In Don the band had a frontman with a voice that optimised the 80's metal
scene and along with the talents of guitarists Cam Macleod and Rick
Nelson, bassist Les Schwartz and drummer Loris Bolzon, the band really did
put together one hell of an album. An album that included such
standout tracks like the opener and title track ‘Standing Alone’, which
Macleod gets underway with some soaring guitars that in turn lay the way
for Wolf’s powerful yet soulful vocals, which remind me still of a cross
between Joe Lynn Turner and Gary Barden.
‘Headlines’ is
another great 80’s rocker with MacLeod’s guitars leading the way once
again, backed by the pulsating rhythm section of Bolzon and Schwartz.
‘Shadows of the Night’ is very Rainbow-esque. The video is featured
as part of the bonus material available on this digipack release and
includes both the original version, complete with Godzilla costumes!! and
a revised version.
To be perfectly
honest there isn’t a back track on the entire album, from the off it just
oozes class and although it's over 20 years old, it doesn’t show its age.
This album could easily have been made today such is the quality of the
songs and musicianship on show.
The bands second
full release ‘Endangered Species’ not only followed on where 'Standing
Alone' left off, but took the bands sound to a higher level. The
original album was released in 1986 two years after 'Standing Alone' and
in those two years the bands whole sound had really matured into something
rather special.
Like ‘Standing
Alone’ ‘ Endangered Species’ opened up with a stormer, this time it's
‘Time Waits For No-One’ that gets things underway and like the previous
album things just keep on getting better and better.
With the likes
of ‘Riding The Storm’ and ‘Cryin’ To The Wind’ showing the band in a more
reflective mode, while the rockers ‘She’ and ‘One More Time’ keeping the
beat of the 80’s alive.
Like 'Standing
Alone' you can't fault this album and together the two are an excellent
package and well worth checking out if you haven’t got the originals.
After listening to these two albums I have to say it makes me wonder just
what the band could have achieved if they had stayed together. |
