By Vinnie Apicella

Now being a product of the 80's myself, my first thoughts for starting things off here might go something like, "From out of the shadows…" or "On the prowl again…" But we're a little past that stage now so… How bout, "The triple-ax attack is back and the future is Wide Open!" Now I can die in peace-all of my favorite groups from the past have risen up off the canvas to have another go at what once was the seemingly insurmountable music industry opponent! The classic "Whatever happened to…" band that first broke big in the early 80's and died off for no apparent reason after the release of '89's "Street Ready" is apparently alive and well… well, "alive" maybe in more ways than one here. "Wide Open" was recorded and delivered by the original five members themselves-but come on guys, how long did it have to take before realizing you called things off a little too quickly! And here's to hoping that the recent group photo is the only commonality they share with… Warrant! Of course individually, there must have been several projects going along the way-a talented unit such as they probably had little trouble finding work otherwise but as Leatherwolf, there existed a truly advanced band that maybe were a little too far ahead of their time. In the present, "Wide Open" features a multitude of terrific songs that span each of their three previous records as recorded during the latter half of last year during several select shows and the rest is history moving forward. The first two cuts are quick jabs from their original self-titled '84 debut from Grand Slamm Records-recall the red background with the wolf tearing through the cover-"Spiter," and "Endangered Species." If there's one indication of the magnitude of this band's skills, it all can be heard in this one song-powerfully structured, strong vocals, agile time changes… it stalls a bit here, but then to try to compare a self-produced live recording to what originally was produced for a major label isn't quite fair. "Gypsies & Thieves," "Street Ready," and "Spirits in the Wind" follow their two later recordings for Island Records, maintaining here the bottom heavy nature and raw energy that we now learn could only be hinted at in the studio. The backing vocals were always such a presence and they could be put to slightly better use here, but fortunately, the trio of guitar power comes through resoundingly… noisy, in spots while Olivieri's voice hasn't suffered much during his assumed time away. Again, it's difficult to make a clear judgment from scattered club recordings but Leatherwolf delivered excellence in the past so it's like trying to hold your arms back behind you to keep from building comparisons. Aside from the known material, "Wide Open" features a riff-ready track called "Tools of Discipline," possibly a new one down the road, and toward the end, a rugged cover of The Doors' "Break on Through!" Luckily, there is a fifth album in the works to be followed by some overdue roadwork. And unlike some previously half-hearted attempts by similar groups of the past that put out some cock and bull release to alleviate their own boredom more than anything else, it appears that Leatherwolf is standing fully behind building a new future for themselves from the strong foundations of a past that isn't ready to be left behind yet.

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