Back in 2020, I crossed paths with Chicago’s Death Metal-mongers Bear Mace regarding their previous release, Charred Field Of Slaughter. I wrote in a review I had written for a ‘zine on how that album rekindled my interest in old-school Death Metal, which, up until that point, had started to wane. Charred Field Of Slaughter reminded me of everything that was so great about the genre.
Bear Mace – Slaves Of The Wolf
Release Date: 6 June 2025
Words: Jools Green
Now, Bear Mace are back with their third studio offering, Slaves Of The Wolf, and I still stand firmly by that comment because this latest offering is yet another impressive and exciting listen.
Sound-wise, you continue to get old-school influences of the likes of Death, Massacre, and Bolt Thrower, which they describe as a “deliberate throwback.”
Slaves Of The Wolf is delivered with a good dose of Bear Mace’s unique flair, and as before, the winning element is Chris Scearce’s vocals. For me, he is definitely one of Death Metal’s best vocalists. There is a ground-shaking depth to his growl. Simultaneously, the degree of clarity in his delivery of content is flawless, and every word is fully discernible.
Then there is his ability to protract extensively without sounding forced and with a silky smoothness to his growl, too. This results in a powerful delivery that is a joy to the ear and a hazard to solid objects.
Lyrically, Slaves Of The Wolf continues with the band’s usual signature narrative, which is deeply rooted in the themes of warfare, survival, and the echoes of historical battles. The album as a whole is an invitation from Bear Mace to explore the depths of human history and emotion through the band’s distinctive, relentless sound.
The album opens on the title track, Slaves Of The Wolf, a piece that channels the spirit of soldiers lost to the annals of history, their lives swallowed by the vast, cold embrace of war.
The opening atmosphere is ominous, peppered with drum beats like bullet fire. Then the pace picks up, making it driving, punchy and groovily addictive. Bear Mace have sunk their claws into you and command your attention from this point onwards.
The pace gradually builds with a frantic air and squealing riffs, with Chris’ vocals gliding with menace across the top. Just after midway, you get a great burst of soaring leadwork before the original trajectory is resumed. This is a superb opening piece that sets a high standard for the rest of the album.
The next piece, Worthless Lives, reflects on our dystopian reality. Opening on a wave of driving climbing riffs and squealing leadwork, the pace drops to a slower, darker one to herald the arrival of the vocals. The protraction here is off-the-scale superb. From here on, the pace ebbs and builds with seamless switching, the final vocal roar cutting through and bringing the piece to a dramatic end.
Coming in at a predominantly slower pace, Drown Them In Their Blood delivers a heavy, haunting homage to the brutal necessities of war. It is impactfully dramatic in the pace, which sometimes drops to a crawl, the expressive vocal delivery and the contrasting soaring leadwork.
The Iceman Cometh explores the chilling life of Richard Kuklinski, the American criminal and leader of a New Jersey-based burglary ring who engaged in criminal activities for most of his adult life. This escalated to at least five murders committed between 1980 and 1984. His nickname derives from him freezing the body of one of his victims in an attempt to disguise the time of death.
The track is musically delivered with a punchy driving intensity and icy atmosphere that matches the cold-blooded nature of his crimes. Midway, you get another huge swathe of soaring, squealing leadwork, adding extra impact.
Captured And Consumed is a haunting recount of WWII atrocities and features guest vocals by Death Metal legend Kam Lee from Massacre. As you would expect, it is a chilling slab of Death Metal. Sharp repeating riffs open, morphing into a chugging melody with the vocals packing a menacing punch.
The pace elevates then drops sharply, whereupon the riffs turn sinister. This makes a perfect carrier for the vocals, which become more ominous with the pace shift. Midway, there is a squealing lead repeat before returning back to the previous melodic but sinister pattern and pace, with the final growl dramatically protracted right into the fade out.
With an opener that is as driving as it is irresistible, Heretics Burn goes on to drop some great thrash-edged riffing. The vocals ooze forth with silky smooth, dark menace. I love the fluid direction switching on this piece. It holds your attention firmly, and the midpoint is so haunting and sinister.
The drive continues with Prophecy, and it’s straight in with a huge swathe of soaring and spiralling irresistible leadwork. It picks up to a groovy chug as the vocals arrive, delivered with punch. You get ominous passages of riffing for added atmosphere and a huge second-half burst of galloping soaring leadwork.
Final offering Cancerous Winds delivers one final onslaught. Initially driving and d-beat rich, this is undulatingly sinister and packing a punch. But it goes on to become more complex in both delivery and switching. With one final generous blast of superbly haunting, soaring midpoint leadwork, it then returns to the driving and d-beat-rich path it opened on. Across its duration, a chilling vocal growl completes the unnerving atmosphere.
Slaves Of The Wolf is a work of excellence end to end once again and is an essential listen for all old-school Death Metal fans.
It will be released as a CD or digital download and available from Bear Mace at Bandcamp.
