Stephanie Meyer may have made werewolves hip with her Twilight series, but international heavy metal band Powerwolf are back with their fourth album to show that lycanthropy is still a bloody business. Their first release on Metal Blade Records, Blood of the Saints sees Powerwolf's unique blend of gothic metal, medieval atmospheres and werewolf folklore at its sharpest.

At only six years old, Powerwolf aren't at the point where they have to worry about reinventing their sound in order to stay fresh. Blood of the Saints isn't much different from the albums that preceded it, but while those discs had a mix of standout and filler tracks, Blood of the Saints is a much more focused and streamlined album. The music is instantly catchy a memorable, and big sing-along choruses and shout-along chants (usually to the words "Die!" and "Blood!") promise that the songs will be crowd favorites in a live setting.

As per standard Powerwolf fare, the album opens with the atmospheric "Agnus Dei", telegraphing very clearly that Falk Maria Schlegel's keyboards will be doing a lot of talking. "Sanctified With Dynamite" is the true start of the album, Powerwolf's brand of Latin incantations and half-Christian and quasi-occult themes announcing no surprises, just lots of influences that owe as much to Iron Maiden as they do Romanian legends of men who becomes wolves by the full moon.

Traditional metalheads may balk at the strong presence of Schlegel's keyboards, but they are an integral part of Powerwolf's sound and aesthetic. At times leading the pack (like on "We Drink Your Blood", the band's first video), at times content with providing ambience and atmosphere (the rest of the album), Schlegel's ivories don't have to work too hard in conjuring images of giant cathedrals with bloody altars shrouded in darkness and candlelight. Simultaneously sacred and profane, it is very Powerwolf.

Blood of the Saints is typical Powerwolf, no question about it, but the band still takes a huge step forward, with guitarists Matthew and Charles Greywolf finally making guitar solos a regular part of the music. It doesn't change the dynamics much, but it's nice to hear what the band is capable of. That said, the dynamics are changed on songs like "Night of the Werewolves" and the final track "Ira Sancti (When the Saints Are Going Wild)", with its haunting, breath-taking keyboard interlude.  "Night of the Werewolves" itself starts out with a muted guitar riff that wouldn't feel out of place in the 80's, and it's nice to see that only four albums in, Powerwolf are at the stage where they can try different things with their music.

With this being their first release on a major label, Powerwolf should see a lot of attention coming their way with Blood of the Saints. Their visuals and style will take a little getting used to, but once you're over the initial shock, their style is as infectious and compelling as the lupine bloodlust they trade in. There are a few advancements since 2009's Bible of the Beast, but Blood of the Saints isn't a huge step forward for Powerwolf, and it doesn't have to be: the wolves are here, and for now, the moon is very full.

4.0/5.0: Blood of the Saints continues a trend of strong, dynamic and hellaciously fun offerings from Powerwolf.