Somewhat surprising maybe, but certainly more than worthwhile activity from Canadian band WHITE WOLF as the somewhat less than prolific melodic rock band release a new, third album some 21 years after "Endangered Species". In reality, despite earning a decent live reputation as well as a deal with RCA, they had called it a day in '87 but here they go again although only main-man DON WOLF and guitarist CAM MacLOED remain from the second album line-up.

The major plus in this release is that it actually sounds like a worthwhile effort, surpassing many of the so called 'supergroups' and collaborations concocted by melodic rock labels desperate for sales, and also it manages to sound both modern and vibrant rather than stuck in the late '80s. Style wise the release is bookended by a couple of RAINBOW influenced numbers with the title track "Victim Of The Spotlight" and the excellent "Out Of Control", which admittedly also brings to mind Y&T providing a quality closer. Elsewhere though inspiration seems to be once again drawn from the mid-to-late '80s UK melodic rock scene. WHITE WOLF maintained some notoriety over here by being one of the few bands to cover a MAGNUM track when "Just Like An Arrow" made that second album, and the MAGNUM similarities abound once more in the big anthemic chorus of "Dreams Are Forever", the pomp rock gold of "Don't Turn Away" or the album's stand-out track "America (Hello Again)". Elsewhere I noted a similarity to the more commercially acceptable, if not sales worthy EMI era of SAXON as both "The Eyes Of The World" and "Price Of One" sound like numbers that could have graced their "Destiny" release.

Whether this project has been (re)born purposely to coincide with a scheduled archive reissue of the first couple of albums or vice versa is open to debate but whichever way around it actually is it's certainly not a bad strategy. Anyone buying the reissues, whether holding a 20 odd year desire to own those releases on CD or just discovering WHITE WOLF will be motivated to check this new album, and likewise anyone without prior knowledge that stumbles on this release will surely be impressed enough to want to hear the earlier albums.

- Leslie

OFFICIAL SITE: myspace.com/whitewolfquotofficialquot

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