Preachers of the Night

Preachers of the Night, released by Napalm Records on July 19, 2013, is Powerwolf's fifth studio album and the first to enter the Official German Albums Chart at No. 1. Blood of the Saints had peaked at 23, which puts the size of the jump in plain terms. “Amen & Attack” opens by joining prayer and assault exactly as the title says, and its organ figure and repeating chorus became the band's calling card. “Sacred & Wild” ties speed to a chorus by the shortest available route and settled in firmly enough that Epica later covered it. “Kreuzfeuer” is sung in German and “Nochnoi Dozor” carries a Russian title, so the play across languages widens here too. On “In the Name of God (Deus Vult)” and “Cardinal Sin,” liturgical language is built into the structure of the songs rather than laid over them. The production is still lean — the full orchestra belongs to later records. Even so, this album proved that choir, organ and a marching rhythm are enough on their own to move a large hall. The Wolfsnächte tour that began the same year grew accordingly, and Powerwolf became a German headline act.