Slaves of the Wolf

5.00

PICKMETER

4.78

HMB

4.00

CRITICS

band:

Bear Mace

release date: Jun 06, 2025

label: Independent

type: Full-length

HMB´S REVIEW

As someone who lives and breathes metal, I was already familiar with the name Bear Mace, and I knew there was a fire burning there but with Slaves of the Wolf, that fire turned into an all, consuming blaze. Hailing from Chicago with their roots deeply planted in the foundations of traditional death metal, the band never set out to rewrite the genre and it’s precisely this conviction that makes them so impactful. They’re not chasing artificial modernity, but rather channeling the raw force of tradition. And they deliver it with surgical precision.

From the very first seconds of the album, released on June 6, 2025, it feels as if a sonic wall comes crashing down on you. With riffs that strike like well-aimed axe blows and drums that march with almost military precision, the record is an irresistible invitation to brutality. There’s no room for frills here: just straight-up riffs, dry heaviness, and crushing grooves. The production nails it by preserving an organic sound, the album feels like a band playing together in a room, with sweat, fury, and truth. No gloss, no filter. Just raw, direct, cutting death metal.

The musicians display chemistry and maturity. Chris Scearce’s voice is a weapon in hand; the riffs from Mark Sugar and Tommy Bellino burn like pillars of fire; Garry Naples gives no rest on drums; and John Porada’s bass holds everything down with weight. Their sound calls to mind titans like Bolt Thrower, Massacre, and Obituary, but without ever sounding like an imitation. Bear Mace has its own identity and they carve it in stone.

Tracks like 'The Iceman Cometh' dive into dark narratives, like the story of Richard Kuklinski, while 'Captured and Consumed' delivers the crown jewel: a guest appearance by death metal icon Kam Lee, turning the song into a sonic war anthem — brutal, dragging, heavy, with a World War II theme that’s sonically reimagined to strike the soul with precision. You can’t ignore the power of songs like 'Heretics Burn', 'Prophecy', 'From the Sky', and 'Hunting the Stranger', each one a well-aimed blow, with riffs that stick in your mind and choruses that explode like grenades.

The title track, Slaves of the Wolf, feels almost ritualistic, a savage invocation of the genre’s fiercest spirit. It perfectly captures the album’s essence: aggressive, dense, organic, and relentless. A record that knows its mission and fulfills it with honor.

In the end, Slaves of the Wolf is a reminder that death metal, when done with heart and respect, doesn’t need makeup. It only needs committed musicians, sharp riffs, and a heartbeat pulsing with fury. And that’s exactly what Bear Mace delivers with mastery. It’s a no-nonsense album, eight tracks that crush, elevate, and pay tribute to the purest essence of extreme metal.

If you’re looking for a record that’s honest, heavy, and made by people who truly love what they do, your next play already has a name. Slaves of the Wolf is more than an album — it’s an old-school manifesto that still has plenty to say. And to crush.

Review by Troadie - HMB´s Staff