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Tracklist: Ninety Nine( 7.24), Rats (5.00), In the shade (7.22), Race against the clock (Instrumental) (5.09), The end of the line (10.59), My religion (5.15), The piper of Hamelin (Instrumental) (5.37), Different colors of life (10.13), Wheels of confusion (Bonus - Black Sabbath cover) (7.07) 

It's nice to be able to review one of the very first releases of progressive 2013. The subject is a French band by the name of Wolfspring that delivers their second album entitled Who's Gonna Save the World?. The band is one of Jean Pierre Louveton's side projects as a composer as well as playing lead guitar. You may know his name from his main band, the progressive eclectic Nemo, or another one of his side projects JPL. Being Holland's biggest Nemo fan I hope this will not be a partisan report... 

Wolfspring's sound, to be short, is progressive metal born in France, quite instrumental and is littered with English vocals by a German singer, Julian Clemens. This sounds like an autonomous progressive European idea and it is; I determine this album is completely on its own. On the other hand it is fun to discover many small hints and references to Nemo's music while Wolfspring follows their far more metal direction. 

After listening to the album for the first time, two remarkable thoughts kept hovering. "Très joyeuse" or "very enjoyable". And a feeling of happiness. Now, this happiness is easily explainable. The album just gives you a positive feeling and I was very relieved that, used to a very high standard being a Nemo addict, I was not disappointed. 

To clarify the other feeling, let me tell you something about the album and some of the songs. The opening track Ninety Nine has a nice raw edge to it. JP's heavy guitars kick off, get supported by Guillaume Fontaine's keyboards and flow into the tender vocals of Julian Clemens. And back again to a pounding bass by Max Moro-Sibilot, drums by Ludo Moro-Sibilot and completed with great distorted guitars. The second song Rats is based on a simple but catchy melody. A very nice song with time signatures by Louveton like we are used to and even with a wee bit of Latin woven in. 

Another, more mellow and atmospheric, style is to be heard in the beautiful In the Shade. This mood is strengthened by an Ian McKellen-like narrating voice. A great interlude followed by the high paced and fully instrumental Race against the Clock. This fits nicely into the centre of the album as a showcase of Louveton's superb craftsmanship. 

The longest, eleven minute, track The End of the Line offers many tiny Nemo riffs on display, especially around the 2 minute mark. Fantastic. It has the best melody of the album and it is the one song that keeps coming back to mind all the time. The song partially is a ballad, beautifully embedded in between metal riffs and other guitar extravagance and Fontaine's keyboards. I particularly like the more raw voice of Clemens near the end of the song. Closing song Different Colors of Life musically brings you back to the opening track. A fine coherent combination. Many lovely guitar parts make this a closing track that leaves you in the exact right positive mood. 

This recommended album should mark a very enjoyable start of your progressive metal year. It certainly does to me. The album excels in combining true love for complex guitar driven compositions with a mostly mild style of progressive metal. Best tracks are the 11 minute The End of the Line and the combination of the first track Ninety Nine and the closing track Different Colors of Life. 

Conclusion: 8 out of 10 

Bron: DPRP