WolveSpirit - Blue Eyes (2017) CD-Rip

The band has an American singer with a voice that can rouse the dead. On three records and two EPs, she has shown that she has the necessary armor to perform with all the greats of the classic rock world. Their last work, Free, astounded all the major rock magazines, received much attention from the press, and got them a support tour for the great Uriah Heep. All of this happened without the help of a big label or an elaborate marketing plan. It was all made possible by a band that has come a long way since its foundation in 2009, who have learned to always master situations and sell handfuls of records themselves. Things did not become easier. “This is the price we pay for our freedom,” the frontwoman says. They grew, never gave up—and after six years they are a confident band, more self-assured than ever.

WolveSpirit produces exceptional rock music, which carries the spark of past exploits and ignites in the here and now. They have catapulted their unprecedented success story to new heights with their latest album Blue Eyes. With a roaring Hammond organ, expressive guitars, and Debbie’s indescribable voice, WolveSpirit once again enter the world of rock music wrapped in smoke. The harmony that holds the band together at its core is evident in their soulful and uncommonly powerful rock songs.

Whether they are called hard rock, blues rock, classic rock, or psychedelic rock, WolveSpirit has no preference. “We do not think about any style,” says Debbie. “We are, without exception, open people who do not subject ourselves to restrictions. This is the beauty of creativity: we do not have to worry about what we are doing.” Of course, the band—who often takes inspiration from Deep Purple or Uriah Heep—have made a great impression on the Würzburg community. “No one should have heroes,” Debbie points out. “One should find strength within oneself, and go their own way.”

This is WolveSpirit, and everything that goes with it. Except for percussionist Daniel Erich Scholz, the band members Deborah Craft (vocals), the brothers Richard and Oliver Eberlein (guitar, organ) and the new bassist Andreas Hofmann live in an artists’ commune in peace and harmony. In everything they do, their basic idea expresses itself. The music, Debbie emphasizes, is only a part of it. “It conveys our message of love and tolerance,” Debbie says. “WolveSpirit stands for our life setting that encompasses everything: music, art, feelings, nutrition, and spiritual thinking.” Their spirituality manifests itself in a universal message: Love is the way.

It may be easy to see in WolveSpirit a band of transfigured and intoxicated hippies, who wail at the moon at night and embrace trees. But in reality, it is a band of close friends that walk through life with open eyes and highlight the exaggerations of existence in furious rock songs. “I think it’s important to work out experiences in songs and learn wisdom from them,” emphasizes Debbie. In the case of Blue Eyes, it was mainly a love story. “I was single for a long while,” Debbie says, “and I used this time to deliberately get to know myself better. Then my true love came into my life, and this man happened to have blue eyes.”

Love was the motivator behind the new album, which was recorded by Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes) in Nashville, Tennessee. The other side of the album encourages us to be brave, even in dark times. From the album’s opener, “You Know That I’m Evil,” to the highly emotional “Road of Life,” Blue Eyes is a masterpiece. Debbie spoke about “Road of Life,” stating, “I was very inspired by Johnny Cash when recording this number. His touching story gave me a lot of strength.” In Nashville, a city whose effect the singer compares to that of an intoxicating perfume, she relived all these emotions again. It was “therapy work,” as she says.

We’ve said it: WolveSpirit is a different band. A song is not just a song with them. A concert is more than just a concert, and an album cover is more than just an album cover. Each piece of the puzzle is an expression of a deep inner conviction, because it is an important part of the overall experience. Nothing serves as filling material or a marketing tool. This has forced the band to make many compromises in the last years, which caused them to repeatedly ask the question whether this DIY mentality could be sustained. Blue Eyes documented a band which has not strayed from its course and has returned stronger than ever – with an album that has forged a timeless piece of rock virtue. Trends will come and go, but an album like Blue Eyes will remain.

~ Björn Springorum