Album Review: Amoth – The Hour Of The Wolf (Rockshots Records)

As well as recently signing to Rockshots Records, progressive and melodic heavy metal band Amoth will release their third album, The Hour of The Wolf on January 28th, 2022.

Part glowing tribute to the yester-year of heavy metal and part progressive modernisation, put the two together and you have The Hour of The Wolf. Amoth’s latest album that sees them clean things up even more, take inspiration from the fist-pumping and head-banging days of old while insisting that you pay attention to the nuances. Of which there are many. After all, this isn’t a band afraid to challenge you with technical mastery.

The shifting tempos of opener Alice is a good early example, even if this is a track rooted in what we might call ‘classic heavy metal’. It is followed by The Man Who Watches the World Burn, the first of a couple grandiose tracks. Where powerful melodies clash with fast-paced head-banging bursts and open-minded imagination. It’s a lengthy and detailed listen but one that has an enchanting quality about it. Just check out the bass solo in it!

With those first two tracks, Amoth let you settle in to their heavy metal groove before hitting you with their progressive developments. Now, with Wounded Faith, they hit it right in the middle. A track that has some snarl to it but again, shifts tempos to let melody in and throws out a complex bout of guitar soloing too.

Wind Serenade is a two-parter, Part I is a 2ish-minute piece of instrumental melody that has a jam-session and eerie sound to it. Whereas Part II stays solidly in the melodramatic camp with a showcase of instrumental power. The guitar soloing, which makes up the entire length of the track, is simply phenomenal.

The vocals are back with aplomb though on We Own the Night and It Ain’t Over Yet. The former is one of the album’s most disjointed and challenging tracks, whereas the latter is a straight-forward blast of heavy metal to cleanse the palette.

Their grandiose side is back for the final two tracks though. Firstly, with the massively melodic Traces in The Snow. Where the mellower tone just hits the soul in the right places. Then secondly, with the title track. Where Amoth’s innate combination of electrifying heavy metal heaviness runs head-first into their wall of extensive progressive imagination. An all-embracing pairing to wrap up an album that is simple on the surface but hides some really profound depths.

It’s the former that draws you in with the latter serving as the reason to keep coming back to The Hour of The Wolf.

Amoth – The Hour of The Wolf Full Track Listing:

1. Alice
2. The Man Who Watches the World Burn
3. Wounded Faith
4. Wind Serenade Part I
5. Wind Serenade Part II
6. We Own the Night
7. It Ain’t Over Yet
8. Traces in The Snow
9. The Hour of The Wolf

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