After the last few years immersing himself in the Genesis Revisited project, former Genesis lead guitarist Steve Hackett is back delivering all new original material in the form of Wolflight, an album dedicated to the distant but harmonious relationship between humans and wolves. Featuring Hackett on guitars, lute, and lead vocals, Roger King on keyboards, Rob Townsend on sax & duduk, Nick Beggs on bass & stick, Amanda Lehmann on harmony vocals, and Gary O'Toole on drums, the album has a few guests, such as the late Chris Squire, didgeridoo player Sara Kovacs, Christine Townsend on violin & viola, drummer Hugo Dagenhardt, Jo Hackett on vocals, and Malik Mansurov on tar. Wolflight is a rich, rewarding album with a boatload of styles, from bombastic prog rock, to classical, folk, and world textures, and easily ranks up there with some of his best, including Voyage of the Acolyte and Spectral Mornings.
Always an incredible guitarist, it's safe to say that some of Hackett's most astounding work ever is included here on Wolflight. Those who prefer the more rock oriented side to his playing will love the aggressive attack of "Love Song to a Vampire", which also features his buddy Squire on bass (in what might be his last recording before his recent death), the intricate prog of "The Wheel's Turning", the orchestral "Corycian Fire", and the incredible title track. Steve's gorgeous classical guitar leanings simply wow on the alluring "Earthshine", and the catchy, folk based "Loving Sea" is as notable for its breezy acoustic guitar as it is for Hackett & Lehmann creating some wonderful vocal melodies. "Black Thunder" mixes Celtic, folk, and heavy rock, as Hackett's thunderous riffs and snaking lead lines weave around ethnic acoustic passages, and the haunting "Dust and Dreams" drifts along mysteriously, as Beggs' bulbous bass lines pop through the mix of hazy, searing Hackett guitar lines, light percussion, and orchestral keyboards. The uplifting closer "Heart Song" is a melodic little pop rock tune, filled with catchy vocals and Hackett's tasty guitar lines, a nice ending to the album that ends it on a high note. If you pick up the deluxe 2 disc version of Wolflight, you get two bonus tracks, the classical "Pneuma" and the groove laden folk/pop piece "Midnight Sun", which features some great lead vocals courtesy of Thorvaldur B Thorvaldsson. In a perfect world, this tune could easily have hit potential. Also included is a bonus Blu-ray with the album in dTS Master Audio 5.1, 24/48 5.1 LPCM, and 24/48 Stereo LPCM formats to blast on your home theater system, and interviews with Hackett on the making of the album and the album artwork.
Speaking of the artwork, it was created by Maurizio and Angela Vicedomini, and there is a piece included for each song which is a nice touch as the listener sinks into the music & lyrics. It's a great complement to what is a really lovely album from one of progressive rock's most treasured guitarists.
Track Listing
1. Out of the Body (2.29)
2. Wolflight (8.00)
3. Love Song to a Vampire (9.18)
4. The Wheel's Turning (7.24)
5. Corycian Fire (5.47)
6. Earthshine (3.20)
7. Loving Sea (3.22)
8. Black Thunder (7.32)
9. Dust and Dreams (5.33)
10. Heart Song (2.51)
11. Pneuma (bonus track)
12. Midnight Sun (bonus track)
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