The Black Flame

When WOLF first came onto the scene, their self-titled album cover sported a freaky-looking lupine fella, sort of a denim-and-leather Disco Stu as imagined by Maurice Sendak. Musically, the band stuck out like a fistful of sore thumbs, too — the power metal revival was kicking into high gear, but ma...

If Sweden's Wolf had its way, Bruce Dickinson would never have joined Iron Maiden and Rob Halford would never have left Judas Priest. Over its past three full-lengths, the band has honed an unabashedly retro blend of early-'80s Maiden and Priest that has mostly escaped the cheese factor common in po