White Wolf - Endangered Species (1986) (1996, Japan BVCP-7455)

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White Wolf - Endangered Species (1986) (1996, Japan BVCP-7455)

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Two years prior to the release of this album, these Canadian rockers impressed the hell out of me with their debut 'Standing Alone'. Despite the flourishing Canadian scene at the time, White Wolf flew low under the radar of many. So low in fact, this one skipped the hit-list of keen listeners, until well after the event. It was like the band had a cloaking device activated. Nah, I'm sure that wasn't the case.. the band were quite active during this period following on from 'Standing Alone', which included touring the USA alongside fellow Canucks Lee Aaron, Kick Axe and Aussies Angel City. For this album, White Wolf ventured off to Holland to record it, with Shell Schellikens (Golden Earring) as producer. White Wolf were caught half-way between metal and melodic rock, too light for metal and possibly a shade heavy for melodic rock. You can't win can you? Despite that, the band released a polished album in 1986. Complimented by two guitarists and a keyboardist (Wilk), White Wolf had the power and the color, but the vocals of Don Wilk was the icing on the cake. His effort on 'Standing Alone' carries through into this album, and you can immediately hear his influence on 'Time Waits For No One'. Big keyboards announce the arrival of 'Run For Your Life', the whole effort a mid-tempo affair with a sense of the dramatic, female vocal harmonies and guitars in all the right places. Reminding us that this is 1986 is the 'Ride The Storm', typical lyrics.. the whole nine yards. The band even chuck in a cover of Magnum's best known 'Just Like An Arrow', though I think I still prefer Catley and Clarkin's version personally. Wilk shines yet again on the sparse but effective acoustic power-ballad 'Cryin' To The Wind'. The band get back to basics with the pumping hard rock of 'She', but put the brakes on the anthem-bound 'Holding Back', before slamming back on the accelerator with 'One More Time', a pulsing bass-line driven melodic rocker. Wilk is again the star on 'All Alone', for me one of the album's better moments. The staccato keys might remind you of Magnum again, but 'Snake Charmer' stutters along a dark corridor, before we find the exit and the album's end. At the time of its release, White Wolf's label RCA, was undergoing an ownership change (to BMG). As can be expected with bands already on the roster, new management take awhile to 'get around to you'. Rather than wait for the fallout, White Wolf decided to leave the label at the end of 1987. Suffice to say the album and the fate of the band hit the skids within a year, breaking up during 1988. Unfortunate yes, but those were the signs of the times. 'Endangered Species' did see a CD release back in 1996 - but as a Japan only release.

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