Expecting Powerwolf to branch out creatively? Dream on, Aerosmith. I'll admit (with some apprehension) that I'm kind of a fan of Powerwolf, though it's no mystery to the seasoned veteran of these German dogs that the group's albums are often absurdly fun and hilariously overblown, not to be taken seriously. I enjoy "Blood of the Saints" and their other works from time to time, but "Preachers of the Night" is different. The band's fifth album is mostly tired, unmemorable, and a faceless regurgitation of the same songwriting techniques and traits they've been rehashing for a decade at this point. Powerwolf had never seemed like a faction that desperately needed a changeup, but the creative fumes they've been running on have dwindled down to a handful of tricks and gimmicks that are often hackneyed, seldom entertaining, and downright annoying.Oh yeah, I should mention every Powerwolf song ever includes a ridiculous chorus, a fast power metal riff or similar guitar notations that are more traditionally inclined, keyboards, choirs, and an atmosphere that intentionally appears comically evil. Notorious for grinding up the remnants of their past releases and repackaging the same stylistic themes in new products, Powerwolf has never had a problem doing the exact same thing, and up until now doing so has worked quite well. They do nothing here that could be logically proclaimed different, special, unique, or varied from anything they've released before, but as I said, that was never an issue until "Preachers of the Night" rolled around. Hell, they even start out fairly strong with "Amen & Attack," which might be one of the finest songs they've ever written.
Again, nothing new, but it rules. Same goes for the three songs which follow; they're perfect examples of Powerwolf kicking some serious tail: "Secrets of the Sacristy" comes off as a power metal frenzy, and "Sacred & Wild" has the catchiest mid-paced riff I've heard in some time. Good stuff. When "Kreuzfeuer" hits the spotlight, however, they completely bottom out. The riffs become stale, the choruses turn dull, and I feel no measure of drama or energy within the record's recycled plodding. Sadly, this is the name of the game onwards, from "Kreuzfeuer" to the failed "Last of the Living Dead," which is a portrait of barren riffs and lifeless Powerwolf-isms that poses as a closing epic but falls flat on its furry little ass. "Lust for Blood" and "Extatum Et Oratum" are completely empty in the songwriting department, and other duds like "In the Name of God (Deus Vult)" fail to bring life back to a formula that had been quite successful for Powerwolf up until this here record.
For real, I've listened to a song like "Nochnoi Dozor" several times, yet I still remember next to nothing about its inner content. I have yet to develop Alzheimer's (though I wouldn't rule out Korsakoff's syndrome), so I'm pinning that on Powerwolf's stagnant, lazy songwriting and performance. I don't feel like this is a total disaster, however: Attila Dorn's operatic vocals are excellent as expected, and some decent material is present. Still, three or four consistent tunes do not redeem seven others that are practically vacant artistically. "Preachers of the Night" is stuffed to the brim with the usual flash, but almost relentlessly devoid of substance barring a handful of tracks. Don't bother unless you can't get enough of this band. Maybe someone put a bar of silver in their food bowls?