Originally released in 2008, October last year saw Aural Music celebrating the 10thanniversary of the album by reissuing with new artwork by Umberto Stagni, new remastered tracks plus a second bonus CD containing the previously unreleased ‘Live in Russi 2010’. This package now contains 24 songs and is an impressive 103 minutes in length. Although this is the older album, the sheer length combined both with great songs and live versions means this is the album to start with if you haven’t come across these Italian metallers prior to this. I swear some of the songs wouldn’t sound out of place on Wolfsbane’s mighty ‘All Hell’s Breaking Loose Down at Little Kathy Wilson’s Place’ (boy was I pissed when Blaze joined Maiden a few years later). This is power metal, played powerfully, with stacks of aggression, great hooks, all combined with a serious dose of commerciality. This was the first album to feature singer Francesco “Il Biondo” Grandi (who had left by the time of their latest, ‘Spacepirates’) and he has the perfect presence and vocal style to really make his presence felt over the top of a punching backline.
Accept have again also been an inspiration, but classic Wolfsbane are at the forefront of what they are doing and anyone who remembers them in their prime should be seeking this out. Aural Music often release music which is quite removed from the mainstream, but in Rain they have a band who could, and should, easily be featured on hard rock radio. They are certainly an act I am going to keep an eye on, as this is both incredibly solid and a load of fun to listen to. If you enjoy classic metal with influences from the new wave, then this is definitely something you should be seeking out.
8/10 by Kev Rowland
