WHITE WOLF – Standing Alone [Japan miniLP K2HD Mastering], MP3+FLAC

A cult classic among ’80s American Melodic Metal fans, for many WHITE WOLF 1984’s debut album “Standing Alone” is among the genre has birth. As requested, here’s the best sounding version avaialble, the hard to find Japanese limited edition CD reissue featuring K2HD Mastering, housed into a mini-LP replica package, as part of the “80s Metal Master Works Paper Sleeve Collection“.

From Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, WHITE WOLF were unique at the time: while razor sharp metallic, they blended into their sound hard rock pulse and a pinch of AOR heroics resulting in a terrific boom sonic combo.
Their debut album ”Standing Alone” is best known for the single / MTV video “Shadows In The Night”, one of the best melodic metal songs from the mid-Eighties. In fact it’s quite excellent. The chugging riff, the awesome vocals and chorus, it has everything!
“Standing Alone” is a midtempo but ominous opener, a mournful song about (guess what) standing alone. (Like a wolf?). Then “Headlines” is uptempo heavy, assaults your eardrums verging on Judas Priest territory. Both have plenty of guitar work to go around. The seven minute plus “What the War Will Bring” is a fantastic, with fine variations and atmospheres utilizing multi-part vocals and proper backing keyboards, it’s a tour-de-force suitable for closing side one of the original LP.

“Night Rider” begins with some kind of a King Kobra-esque vocal harmonies, but quickly gets into a dual guitar melody before it takes off. “Homeward Bound” is a fun song utilizing vocal doubling for good effect, and that riff sure does sound familiar.
A sort of twist comes next. One would think that a song called “Metal Thunder” would be even harder and louder than its predecessors but it’s much more melodic, a good curve ball there. A great song with some good harmony vocals and guitar work and it leads very well to the closer, which provides the right conclusion to this fine album.
“Trust Me” is the final song, clearly inspired by Ritchie Blackmore’s Rainbow, but wrapped by a U.S. metal Eighties style.

Sure to please from classic metallers to traditional hard rock fans, WHITE WOLF 1984’s debut album “Standing Alone” deserve a place in your collection. This Japanese CD sound quality is very, very good.
Highly Recommended

Ｂ Ｍ Ｇ ＪＡＰＡＮ / BVCM～37862
「 Ｌｉｍｉｔｅｄ Ｅｄｉｔｉｏｎ ＣＡＲＤＢＯＡＲＤ ＳＬＥＥＶＥ 」
80s Metal Master Works Paper Sleeve Collection

01 – Standing Alone
02 – Headlines
03 – Shadows In The Night
04 – What The War Will Bring
05 – Night Rider
06 – Homeward Bound
07 – Metal Thunder
08 – Trust Me

Don Wilk – Lead Vocals, Keyboards
Cam MacLeod – Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals
Rick Nelson – Guitars, Backing Vocals
Les Schwartz – Bass
Loris Bolzon – Drums, Backing Vocals

MP3 FLAC