Chicago’s five-piece, Bear Mace, return with Slaves of the Wolf, their third and fully weaponized death metal album. Drawing influences from the likes of Massacre, Death and Bolt Thrower this is old school metal at its best.  The album is self-released. “Slaves of the Wolf” kicks the album off hard. It opens slow and heavy with dissonant chords that set a grim tone which is apt for the telling of soldiers being sent to fight by their masters, destined to return in victory or to die on the battlefield.  It then rips open into fast, pounding rhythms and deep growled drawn out vocals which hammer home the weight of the war and its cost. Melodic leads cut in, sharp, urgent and powerful. It’s a fierce and dynamic track and a killer way to start the album.

“Worthless Lives” enters with a jagged, screeching intro which turns into a thrashing frenzy. High-register dissonance and then the deepest drawn-out growling vocals. For “Drown them in their Blood” the tempo sinks slower and is more doom laden but no less vicious. Dark dark lyrics here which tell of a merciless, methodical, cold blooded night raid.  A haunting melodic solo rises from the gloom and blast beats erupt. Inspired by Richard Kuklinski, the infamous murderer,” The Iceman Cometh” is a high-speed descent into madness. The guitars scream and squeal like his victims who are chased down by manic thrash rhythms and then cut into pieces. Relentless and psychotic. “Captured and Consumed," featuring death metal legend Kam Lee of Massacre, is a standout track that dives into the horrors of World War II. From the opening riffs, it is clear that there is no escape, the band slams the BPM pedal, launching into hyperspeed blast territory before shifting into slower, brooding passages. The melodies turn dark and weighty, while the growls resonate through your core making you feel the track as much as hear it.

Next up “Heretics Burn” with its Slayer sounding high velocity riffs and aggression. The growled vocals are commanding, and the drums push the tempo right into the pit. A clear crowd mover in a live setting. “Prophecy” opens with a melodic lead and a strong sense of atmosphere before launching into high-speed riffing. The lyrical content hints at ancient power and looming threats. Harmonized guitars and dissonant sweeps add depth, giving this track a slightly more epic feel while still staying within the album's aggressive framework. “Cancerous Winds” closes with pacing that shifts between thrash bursts and more contemplative sections with soaring melodies. There’s a feeling of suffering in the aftermath…perhaps of an atomic weapon.  A strong and fitting finale.

Overall, an absolute blast from beginning to end. The lyrics beg for a closer listen as the narrative is very much woven into the fabric of the music.