Wake Up the Wicked explained

Wake Up the Wicked is the tenth studio album by German heavy metal band Powerwolf. It was released on 26 July 2024 via Napalm Records.^[1]

Critical reception

Blabbermouth.net described the work as "an album full of instantly memorable heavy metal anthems, all ornately dressed in the quasi-religious trappings and orchestral extravagance that have become such important trademarks".^[2]

Alec Chillingworth of Louder Sound states that "swimming in the Sabaton/Manowar moat rather than their Maiden/Priest paddle-pool of yore, Bless 'Em With The Blade rips Wake Up The Wicked open by reducing Deicide's career to one line: 'Tear up the Bible'" and "It's bubonically catchy heavy metal built for outdoor stages, choirs squeezing through honking organs, tearaway leads and frontman Attila Dorn's überhensch operatics".^[3]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Matthew Greywolf.

1. "Bless 'Em with the Blade" – 2:47
2. "Sinners of the Seven Seas" – 3:00
3. "Kyrie Klitorem" – 3:03
4. "Heretic Hunters" – 3:27
5. "1589" – 4:04
6. "Viva Vulgata" – 3:08
7. "Wake Up the Wicked" – 3:39
8. "Joan of Arc" – 3:20
9. "Thunderpriest" – 3:21
10. "We Don't Wanna Be No Saints" – 3:15
11. "Vargamor" – 3:57

Personnel

Powerwolf

• Attila Dorn – vocals
• Charles Greywolf – bass, guitar
• Matthew Greywolf – guitar, vocal recording, layout
• Falk Maria Schlegel – keyboards
• Roel van Helden – drums

Additional contributors

• Rodney Blaze – male backing vocals
• John "Jaycee" Cuijpers – male backing vocals
• Zsofia Dankova – artwork, illustrations
• Jens De Vos – additional booklet photography
• Jos Driessen – engineering, choir engineering
• Jasper Erkens – shout choir
• Nick Hurkmans – children's choir conductor
• Coen Janssen – shout choir
• Ted Jensen – mastering
• Jan Willem Ketelaers – male backing vocals
• Pa'dam Chamber Choir – choir
• Peter Sallai – additional booklet illustrations
• Ingo Spörl – layout
• Joost van den Broek – production, mixing, choir recording, choir arrangement, choir scoring, shout choir, additional programming, orchestration
• Johan van Stratum – shout choir
• VD Pictures – photography
• Volgspot Class 2 – children's choir

Notes and References

1. Web site: Powerwolf to Release New Studio Album, Wake Up the Wicked, In July. April 4, 2024. Blabbermouth.net.
2. Web site: Wake Up The Wicked. July 23, 2024. Blabbermouth.net. Lawson. Dom.
3. Web site: "This is Sabaton for shaggers." New Powerwolf album Wake Up The Wicked is epic, catchy and brilliantly daft – like all the best power metal should be. Alec. Chillingworth. July 22, 2024. Louder Sound.