WOLFSTONE
Terra Firma

OBRCD 03

880992143035
Once Bitten Records
UK Regno Unito

 

Scottish Celtic-rockers Wolfstone are back with a new album and new line-up. Says founder member Duncan Chisholm, “… we are a rock band from the Highlands of Scotland that happens to use pipes, whistles and pipes in our repertoire”. The band have taken their living, breathing and roaring version of the evolving folk tradition another step further, this time round largely eschewing the classic folk-rock stylings of yore, substituting a sharper, harder and more focused contemporary rock edge and helping them produce arguably their most commercial album to date.

New frontman, songwriter and producer Ross Hamilton, plus new back line – drummer Alyn Cosker and Colin Cunningham on bass – have injected youthful energy and drive to their sound. With songs like the searing guitar-and-rhythm-fired ‘Break Yer Bass Drone Again’ followed by the assured rock riffing of ‘These Are The Days’, this is clearly a band on a mission … to build on past glories and construct a new, grander and far more ambitious sound.

Which isn’t to say they could ever turn their backs on their traditional music roots, as their environment, background and love of the music is simply too strong. Consequently a full-blown aural assault is followed by a sweeping, atmospheric air, ‘The Bloody Bouzouki’, before moving off into a rip-roaring, barely restrained reading of Charlie McKerron’s ‘Paella Grande’.

Into this mix they throw the hugely impressive slice of grandiose pop-rock that is ‘Put Me Together’ and yet, to their credit, it sounds neither out of place nor pompous, instead suggesting an imagination and desire to continue to push themselves musically and the boundaries of expectation from their audiences. ‘By The Wayside’ gives another indication of their songwriting versatility and diversity of approach within the new line-up. Composed by drummer Alyn Cosker, the catchy, country-flavoured rocker is as commercial a track as any the new line-up have produced.

Attacking everything they do with a new found vigour and verve, the Stevie Saint pipe tune ‘3 am In Edradour’ that segues into closer ‘The List’ perfectly sums up their attitude – hard, heavy, no-nonsense rockin‘ ‘n’ reelin’

  Tracks