Label : Prana Concept
Tracklist:
1. Intro 01:01
2. Ghost Dance 03:12
3. Wolfen 03:34
4. Even After Death
05:13
5. Enjoyment Of Death
03:54
6. See You In Hell
05:36
7. Instinct Of Violence
04:40
8. Madness (On The
Road) 03:20
9. Psychiatric Hospital
03:53
10. No Way Back 05:37
11. Bloody Or Not
Bloody 04:20
Formed in 1989, the
band hailing from Poitiers and Sartrouville (France) made it’s initial mark in the early 90s through several
demos, before entering a long period of silence and separation. Nearly four
decades after it’s inception, the name Exhauster
has come back to life in 2026.
From the very first
listen, Wolfen surprises the
listener with a historical paradox despite the band’s nearly 40-year existence,
this is their first-ever full-length studio album!!. One immediately senses a
natural wave of nostalgia and a deeply authentic approach. It is clear these
musicians are not chasing fleeting trends, rather, they seek to capture the raw
essence of old-school thrash metal/ crossover thrash in the
style of DRI but a little bit more
extreme and aggressive maybe like Massacra
or early Kreator (crossover for the fast
riffs and punk touches and multi vocals to create the impression of a pack or
an angry crowd to pay attention in the track See You In Hell and Ghost
Dance) forged by memories and a passion that has remained undiminished
since the 80s and 90s and it could easily be categorized within the YouTube
channel New Wave Of Old School Thrash
Metal
Exhauster
navigates the realm of old-school, direct, and uncompromising thrash metal.
Spanning 44 minutes across 11 tracks, the album draws its influences directly
from the European and U.S roots of the style, the riffs are
razor-sharp, the rhythms are Powerful, and the overall sound avoids the
pitfalls of modern, ultra-compressed, and sanitized production opting instead
for the pure, headbanging-inducing impact of a natural, traditional sonic
aesthetic.
Self-produced and
released via Prana Concept in a
digipack CD format, the album embraces an organic approach. The sound is
cutting and powerful, retaining that essential, gritty texture allowing each
instrument to breathe rather than being stifled by excessive digital
over-production. visually, the album cover highlights wolf imagery a classic
motif in extreme metal setting the tone for a bestial and dynamic record.
It is an authentic
endeavor, steeped in an old-school passion that stands far removed from
industry cynicism.
The tracks are
well-paced and tailor-made for the stage, maintaining their momentum throughout
the 44-minute runtime.
To successfully release
a debut album of such quality after nearly 40 years of waiting and dormancy
commands respect.
While purists will
surely appreciate its high quality, listeners seeking innovation or avant-garde
structures might find the approach a bit predictable or conventional. Yet,
there is an enduring appeal to an old-school work especially when contrasted
with the modern metal aesthetic, which demands cutting-edge technology, maximum
power, surgical precision, and dense sound, modern metal producers often rely
heavily on digital tools, specialized software, and complex programs to sculpt
a sound that is ultra-precise, albeit less natural.
With Wolfen, Exhauster has pulled off an unexpected and masterful comeback
ensuring they are far more than just a footnote in the history of forgotten
90s-era demos.
in any case the
comeback of Exhauster is done with
success and can add Wolfen in your
collection
