Powerwolf

Biography

Powerwolf (often stylized in all caps) is a German power metal band founded in 2004 in Saarbrücken by members of Red Aim. The band consists of vocalist Karsten Brill as "Attila Dorn", lead guitarist Benjamin Buss as "Matthew Greywolf", bassist/rhythm guitarist David Vogt as "Charles Greywolf", keyboardist Christian Jost as "Falk Maria Schlegel" and drummer Roel van Helden. The group uses religious themes and images, contrary to traditional power metal music, as well as corpse paint, gothic-tinged compositions and songs about werewolf and vampire legends.
They released their debut album, Return in Bloodred×Return in Bloodred4 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Mr. Sinister4:392We Came to Take Your Souls4:013Kiss of the Cobra King4:324Black Mass Hysteria4:125Demons & Diamonds3:396Montecore5:197The Evil Made Me Do It3:388Lucifer in Starlight4:509Son of the Morning Star5:12, in 2005. Their second album, Lupus Dei×Lupus Dei4 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Lupus Daemonis (Intro)1:172We Take It From the Living4:043Prayer in the Dark4:204Saturday Satan5:185In Blood We Trust3:036Behind the Leathermask4:357Vampires Don't Die3:098When the Moon Shines Red4:259Mother Mary Is a Bird of Prey3:1610Tiger of Sabrod3:5311Lupus Dei6:08, was released in 2007. The band entered the official German charts for the first time in 2009 with their third album, Bible of the Beast×Bible of the Beast27 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Opening: Prelude to Purgatory1:142Raise Your Fist, Evangelist4:003Moscow After Dark3:154Panic in the Pentagram5:155Catholic in the Morning… Satanist at Night3:586Seven Deadly Saints3:367Werewolves of Armenia3:558We Take the Church by Storm3:559Resurrection by Erection3:5110Midnight Messiah4:1311St. Satans Day4:3112Wolves Against the World6:05. Shortly after its release, their first drummer Stefan Gemballa (stage name Stéfane Funèbre) left the band. He was replaced by Tom Diener, who was replaced in 2011 by Roel van Helden. In the same year, the band released their fourth album, Blood of the Saints×Blood of the Saints29 July 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Opening: Agnus Dei0:492Sanctified With Dynamite4:263We Drink Your Blood3:434Murder at Midnight4:475All We Need Is Blood3:366Dead Boys Don’t Cry3:257Son of a Wolf3:598Night of the Werewolves4:319Phantom of the Funeral3:0910Die, Die, Crucified3:0111Ira Sancti (When the Saints Are Going Wild)6:25. In 2012, Powerwolf signed with Napalm Records and released Preachers of the Night in 2013. It has debuted at No. 1 in Germany. Their sixth album, Blessed & Possessed×Blessed & Possessed17 July 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Blessed & Possessed4:422Dead Until Dark3:503Army of the Night3:214Armata Strigoi3:595We Are the Wild3:416Higher Than Heaven3:317Christ & Combat3:408Sanctus Dominus3:239Sacramental Sister4:3710All You Can Bleed3:4411Let There Be Night7:19, released in 2015, was certified gold in the Czech Republic. Their seventh album, The Sacrament of Sin×The Sacrament of Sin20 July 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Fire & Forgive4:312Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend3:383Killers With the Cross4:104Incense & Iron3:585Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone4:146Stossgebet3:547Nightside of Siberia3:538The Sacrament of Sin3:279Venom of Venus3:2910Nighttime Rebel4:0411Fist by Fist (Sacralize or Strike)3:33, was released in 2018. Their eighth album, Call of the Wild×Call of the Wild16 July 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Faster Than the Flame4:092Beast of Gévaudan3:323Dancing With the Dead4:054Varcolac3:535Alive or Undead4:236Blood for Blood (Faoladh)3:117Glaubenskraft3:568Call of the Wild3:409Sermon of Swords3:1910Undress to Confess3:3211Reverent of Rats2:55Disc 21Faster Than the Flame (orchestral version)4:102Beast of Gévaudan (orchestral version)3:343Dancing With the Dead (orchestral version)4:114Varcolac (orchestral version)3:565Alive or Undead (orchestral version)4:256Blood for Blood (Faoladh) (orchestral version)3:147Glaubenskraft (orchestral version)3:598Call of the Wild (orchestral version)3:439Sermon of Swords (orchestral version)3:2110Undress to Confess (orchestral version)3:3211Reverent of Rats (orchestral version)2:57, was released in 2021. Their ninth album, Interludium×Interludium6 April 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 21 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Wolves of War3:582Sainted by the Storm3:443No Prayer at Midnight3:414My Will Be Done3:435Altars on Fire3:496Wolfborn3:147Stronger Than the Sacrament3:358Living on a Nightmare3:529Midnight Madonna3:2810Bête du Gévaudan3:34Disc 21Werewolves of Armenia6:182Reverent of Rats2:573Dancing With the Dead3:484Call of the Wild3:355Venom of Venus3:196Sudenmorsian4:137Stossgebet3:558Fire & Forgive4:099Armata Strigoi4:1510We Are the Wild3:3611Night of the Werewolves4:18, was released in 2023. Their tenth album, Wake Up the Wicked×Wake Up the Wicked26 July 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks1Bless ’em With the Blade2:482Sinners of the Seven Seas3:013Kyrie Klitorem3:044Heretic Hunters3:27515894:056Viva Vulgata3:087Wake Up the Wicked3:398Joan of Arc3:219Thunderpriest3:2210We Don’t Wanna Be No Saints3:1611Vargamor3:57, was released in 2024.
Powerwolf has embarked on several tours, with a majority of their tour dates taking place inside of Europe. They also change their costumes for every album. Over the years, a theme has developed which personifies the band members as werewolves, leading fans to refer to the band affectionately as "The Wolves".

2004–2009: Formation and first albums

Powerwolf was formed in 2004 by the members of the stoner rock band Red Aim. When the band was founded, the members decided to take on pseudonyms and build up backstories around those.
Officially, the brothers Charles and Matthew Greywolf had been playing together for years when they decided to create a band, and so Powerwolf was started. Soon the brothers added German drummer Stéfane Funèbre and German keyboardist Falk Maria Schlegel to the band, but could not find a suitable singer to complete the line-up. In the meantime, the band started writing, and on holidays in Romania, Charles and Matthew met Attila Dorn in a pub and invited him to join their band. Dorn, a student of classical opera at the academy in Bucharest, moved to the band's hometown Saarbrücken, and became the frontman of Powerwolf. With Dorn's love of Romanian werewolf legends, the band created their debut album, Return in Bloodred×Return in Bloodred4 April 2005 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 9 tracks1Mr. Sinister4:392We Came to Take Your Souls4:013Kiss of the Cobra King4:324Black Mass Hysteria4:125Demons & Diamonds3:396Montecore5:197The Evil Made Me Do It3:388Lucifer in Starlight4:509Son of the Morning Star5:12, which used these same legends as the basis for many of the lyrics. After the album's release, Powerwolf went on their first tour titled Europe in Bloodred Tour.
In 2007, they followed up with their second album, Lupus Dei×Lupus Dei4 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Lupus Daemonis (Intro)1:172We Take It From the Living4:043Prayer in the Dark4:204Saturday Satan5:185In Blood We Trust3:036Behind the Leathermask4:357Vampires Don't Die3:098When the Moon Shines Red4:259Mother Mary Is a Bird of Prey3:1610Tiger of Sabrod3:5311Lupus Dei6:08, a concept album starring a wolf as the main character and his rise from bloodlust to enlightenment. Powerwolf supported Grave Digger during their tour.
In 2008, Powerwolf released their first video album The Wacken Worship. It contained live footage of their show at Wacken Open Air 2008. In the same year, they went on a Metal is our Mission Tour together with Brainstorm and Pagan's Mind.
The single "Raise Your Fist, Evangelist" was released on 19 March 2009. Powerwolf's third album Bible of the Beast×Bible of the Beast27 April 2009 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1Opening: Prelude to Purgatory1:142Raise Your Fist, Evangelist4:003Moscow After Dark3:154Panic in the Pentagram5:155Catholic in the Morning… Satanist at Night3:586Seven Deadly Saints3:367Werewolves of Armenia3:558We Take the Church by Storm3:559Resurrection by Erection3:5110Midnight Messiah4:1311St. Satans Day4:3112Wolves Against the World6:05 was released on 24 April 2009. The record was able to place as the band's first album in the German charts and reached number 76. They embarked on a tour supporting the album in 2010. "Raise Your Fist, Evangelist" was nominated for the Metal Hammer "Metal Anthem 2010" award.

2010–2011: Drummer change and Blood of the Saints

On 2 March 2010 Stéfane Funèbre left the band and was replaced by Tom Diener. Powerwolf announced it on their Myspace blog.
In November 2010, Powerwolf organist Falk Maria Schlegel stated about the group's new material:

We spent the last three months in the rehearsal room working out stuff for the new album. Even though it's still in the making, we can already promise the songs are 100% POWERWOLF, taking off where Bible of the Beast ended. There's furious stuff, there's epic stuff — and all of it is catchy as hell.
On 28 May 2011 the band announced on their website that Tom Diener was replaced by a new drummer Roel van Helden from the Netherlands.
The band released the single "Sanctified with Dynamite×Sanctified With Dynamite24 May 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sanctified With Dynamite4:25" on 24 May 2011 and the second one on 5 July 2011 titled "We Drink Your Blood×We Drink Your Blood5 July 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1We Drink Your Blood3:42", to which Powerwolf recorded their first ever music video. It was shot in an ancient monastery church. Falk Maria Schlegel commented that "Shooting the video in such a special and atmospheric place was incredible. The combination of the sacral interior of the church, including altar, confessional box and a church organ with a lot of fire, fog and metal insanity was the perfect set for a Powerwolf video."
Their fourth album, titled Blood of the Saints×Blood of the Saints29 July 2011 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Opening: Agnus Dei0:492Sanctified With Dynamite4:263We Drink Your Blood3:434Murder at Midnight4:475All We Need Is Blood3:366Dead Boys Don’t Cry3:257Son of a Wolf3:598Night of the Werewolves4:319Phantom of the Funeral3:0910Die, Die, Crucified3:0111Ira Sancti (When the Saints Are Going Wild)6:25, was released on 29 July 2011 in Europe and 2 August in the United States.
In September 2011, Powerwolf went on a quadruple headline tour with Sabaton, Grave Digger and Skull Fist.

2012–2013: Debut with Napalm Records

In 2012, Powerwolf released two albums. The first was the Wolfsnächte 2012 Tour EP, a split EP with Mystic Prophecy, Stormwarrior, and Lonewolf. This EP featured a previously unreleased Powerwolf track, "Living on a Nightmare". Copies of this EP were originally distributed along with the purchase of tickets to Powerwolf's Wolfsnächte Tour 2012 but since the tour's conclusion, copies have been available in the Powerwolf webstore.
The second of Powerwolf's 2012 releases was Alive in the Night, the band's first live album. It contained 10 tracks and was just over 45 minutes in length. It was released with the April 2012 issue of the German edition of Metal Hammer.
On 13 August 2012, Powerwolf signed a deal with Napalm Records.
Powerwolf released their EP The Rockhard Sacrament×The RockHard SacramentJuly 2013 · EPSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 6 tracks1Amen & Attack3:552In the Name of God3:153Headless Cross6:104Nightcrawler5:435Living on a Nightmare3:516Amen & Attack (orchestra version)4:55 on 22 June 2013. The band also released their single "Amen & Attack×Amen & Attack28 June 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksA1Amen & Attack3:54B1Living on a Nightmare3:52" on 28 June 2013.
Preachers of the Night was released on 18 July 2013. The album entered the official German album charts at position 1.

2014–2016: Blessed & Possessed

In 2014, Powerwolf released The History of Heresy I and The History of Heresy II, the second of which included several orchestral versions of Powerwolf songs.
Powerwolf began working on their sixth album in June 2014. They announced their new album on their Facebook page on 5 December 2014. On 8 May 2015, the band released their single "Army of the Night×Army of the Night8 May 2015 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Army of the Night3:21" and "Armata Strigoi×Armata Strigoi5 June 2015 · SingleSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Armata Strigoi3:59" on 5 June 2015. Their new album Blessed & Possessed×Blessed & Possessed17 July 2015 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Blessed & Possessed4:422Dead Until Dark3:503Army of the Night3:214Armata Strigoi3:595We Are the Wild3:416Higher Than Heaven3:317Christ & Combat3:408Sanctus Dominus3:239Sacramental Sister4:3710All You Can Bleed3:4411Let There Be Night7:19, which was released on 17 July 2015. They embarked on a tour supporting the album into 2016.
Boxset and earbook editions of the album featured a bonus CD Metallum Nostrum×Metallum Nostrum11 January 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Touch of Evil5:402Conquistadores4:453Edge of Thorns6:004Power and Glory4:555Out in the Fields4:166Shot in the Dark4:117Gods of War Arise5:538The Evil That Men Do4:319Headless Cross6:1010Night Crawler5:42, which contains 10 songs of different artists that Powerwolf's band members selected to cover, such as Judas Priest, Running Wild, Savatage, Chroming Rose, Gary Moore, Ozzy Osbourne, Amon Amarth, Iron Maiden and Black Sabbath.
Powerwolf released their second video album The Metal Mass – Live on 27 July 2016 in Japan and 29 July 2016 in Europe. It contained live footage of three shows: Masters of Rock 2015, Summer Breeze 2015, Wolfsnächte Tour 2015, music videos to "Amen & Attack×Amen & Attack28 June 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksA1Amen & Attack3:54B1Living on a Nightmare3:52", "Army of the Night", "We Drink Your Blood×We Drink Your Blood5 July 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1We Drink Your Blood3:42" and "Sanctified with Dynamite×Sanctified With Dynamite24 May 2011 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Sanctified With Dynamite4:25", a festival documentation "A Day At Summer Breeze" and a tour documentation movie "Kreuzweg – Of Wolves And Men".

2017–2019: The Sacrament of Sin

On 10 October 2017, Powerwolf announced on Facebook that they had completed writing for their seventh full-length album, promising its release to occur sometime in 2018. In January 2018, the band entered the studio to begin recording the album, due later in the year. The title of the album was later announced as The Sacrament of Sin×The Sacrament of Sin20 July 2018 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Fire & Forgive4:312Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend3:383Killers With the Cross4:104Incense & Iron3:585Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone4:146Stossgebet3:547Nightside of Siberia3:538The Sacrament of Sin3:279Venom of Venus3:2910Nighttime Rebel4:0411Fist by Fist (Sacralize or Strike)3:33, which was released on 20 July 2018. It was Jens Bogren's first production work for Powerwolf. The album was rated positively by the critics, highlighting mainly the new elements that Powerwolf put in the music. The album also flourished commercially, ranked first in the German charts, and also ranked in several other countries. On 14 September 2018, the album won a German Metal Hammer "Best album of the year" award.
A limited edition mediabook version of The Sacrament of Sin featured a second disc named Communio Lupatum, which featured Powerwolf songs covered by other artists selected by the band members, such as Epica, Saltatio Mortis, Caliban, Battle Beast, Heaven Shall Burn, Kadavar, Kissin' Dynamite, Mille Petrozza, Marc Görtz, Amaranthe and Eluveitie.
In support of the album, the band performed in Europe during 2018 and 2019.
On 11 January 2019, Powerwolf re-released their cover album Metallum Nostrum×Metallum Nostrum11 January 2019 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Touch of Evil5:402Conquistadores4:453Edge of Thorns6:004Power and Glory4:555Out in the Fields4:166Shot in the Dark4:117Gods of War Arise5:538The Evil That Men Do4:319Headless Cross6:1010Night Crawler5:42.
On 1 November 2019, the band released their single of their re-written and re-recorded version of "Kiss of the Cobra King×Kiss of the Cobra King1 November 2019 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Kiss of the Cobra King3:492Army of the Night (live)3:46".

2020–present: Call of the Wild, Interludium and Wake Up the Wicked

In 2020, Powerwolf went on their first Latin America tour along with Amon Amarth. They had to cancel the last three concerts due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
On 16 January 2020, Powerwolf announced their greatest hits album titled Best of the Blessed×Best of the Blessed3 July 2020 · Album · CompilationSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 30 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11We Drink Your Blood (New Version 2020)3:452Army of the Night3:213Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend3:384Werewolves of Armenia (New Version 2020)4:155Saturday Satan (New Version 2020)5:196Amen & Attack3:557Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone4:148Resurrection by Erection (New Version 2020)4:039Sanctified With Dynamite (New Version 2020)4:2710Kreuzfeuer3:4711Armata Strigoi4:0012Kiss of the Cobra King (New Version 2019)3:5013Killers With the Cross4:1014Sacred & Wild3:4215In Blood We Trust (New Version 2020)3:0416Let There Be Night7:20Disc 21Fire & Forgive (Live 2018)6:282Incense & Iron (Live 2018)4:433Amen & Attack (Live 2018)3:584Demons Are a Girl’s Best Friend (Live 2018)4:265Killers With the Cross (Live 2018)4:466Armata Strigoi (Live 2018)5:127Blessed & Possessed (Live 2018)4:478Where the Wild Wolves Have Gone (Live 2018)4:279Resurrection by Erection (Live 2018)3:5910Stossgebet (Live 2018)4:5011All We Need Is Blood (Live 2018)3:5112We Drink Your Blood (Live 2018)3:5513Werewolves of Armenia (Live 2018)5:2614Lupus Dei (Live 2018)5:26. Initially set to be released on 5 June 2020, it was later scheduled to be released on 3 July 2020.

On 28 April 2020, Powerwolf announced work on a new studio album, to be released in 2021.
On 19 January 2021, Powerwolf announced their new album would be named Call of the Wild×Call of the Wild16 July 2021 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 22 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Faster Than the Flame4:092Beast of Gévaudan3:323Dancing With the Dead4:054Varcolac3:535Alive or Undead4:236Blood for Blood (Faoladh)3:117Glaubenskraft3:568Call of the Wild3:409Sermon of Swords3:1910Undress to Confess3:3211Reverent of Rats2:55Disc 21Faster Than the Flame (orchestral version)4:102Beast of Gévaudan (orchestral version)3:343Dancing With the Dead (orchestral version)4:114Varcolac (orchestral version)3:565Alive or Undead (orchestral version)4:256Blood for Blood (Faoladh) (orchestral version)3:147Glaubenskraft (orchestral version)3:598Call of the Wild (orchestral version)3:439Sermon of Swords (orchestral version)3:2110Undress to Confess (orchestral version)3:3211Reverent of Rats (orchestral version)2:57. Later on 20 May 2021, the first song of the album, "Beast of Gévaudan×Beast of Gévaudan21 May 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 1 track1Beast of Gévaudan3:31", was released. On 9 June 2021, a re-recorded version of "Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend" featuring Alissa White-Gluz on vocals (from Missa Cantorem, the bonus cover album included with various special formats of Call of the Wild) was released. On 23 June, the band released another new song of their new album called "Dancing with the Dead×Dancing With the Dead24 June 2021 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Dancing With the Dead4:052Demons Are a Girl's Best Friend3:373Dancing With The Dead (Orchestral Version)4:11".
On 16 July 2021, Call of the Wild, the band's eighth album, was released.
On 4 October 2022, the band announced that they were set to perform their first North American shows in New York City and Montreal in February 2023. On 28 November, Powerwolf announced that their ninth studio album, Interludium×Interludium6 April 2023 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 21 tracks · 2 discsDisc 11Wolves of War3:582Sainted by the Storm3:443No Prayer at Midnight3:414My Will Be Done3:435Altars on Fire3:496Wolfborn3:147Stronger Than the Sacrament3:358Living on a Nightmare3:529Midnight Madonna3:2810Bête du Gévaudan3:34Disc 21Werewolves of Armenia6:182Reverent of Rats2:573Dancing With the Dead3:484Call of the Wild3:355Venom of Venus3:196Sudenmorsian4:137Stossgebet3:558Fire & Forgive4:099Armata Strigoi4:1510We Are the Wild3:3611Night of the Werewolves4:18, would be released on 7 April 2023. On 4 April 2024, Powerwolf announced that their tenth studio album, Wake Up the Wicked×Wake Up the Wicked26 July 2024 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube MusicTracklist · 11 tracks1Bless ’em With the Blade2:482Sinners of the Seven Seas3:013Kyrie Klitorem3:044Heretic Hunters3:27515894:056Viva Vulgata3:087Wake Up the Wicked3:398Joan of Arc3:219Thunderpriest3:2210We Don’t Wanna Be No Saints3:1611Vargamor3:57, was set for release on 26 July 2024.

Musical style and lyrics

Powerwolf's sound has primarily been described as power metal and traditional heavy metal.
Powerwolf's musical style is different from other power metal bands. In addition to the classic metal instruments, organ sounds are used. For the studio albums, a church choir was recorded. The band states that their main influences are Black Sabbath, Mercyful Fate, Forbidden and Iron Maiden.
The dominant language of the lyrics is English, but they also use Latin ("Werewolves of Armenia", "Lupus Dei×Lupus Dei4 May 2007 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Lupus Daemonis (Intro)1:172We Take It From the Living4:043Prayer in the Dark4:204Saturday Satan5:185In Blood We Trust3:036Behind the Leathermask4:357Vampires Don't Die3:098When the Moon Shines Red4:259Mother Mary Is a Bird of Prey3:1610Tiger of Sabrod3:5311Lupus Dei6:08", "Kreuzfeuer", "Stossgebet", "Sanctus Dominus"), and rarely German ("Moscow After Dark", "We Take the Church by Storm", "Werewolves of Armenia", "Kreuzfeuer", "Amen & Attack×Amen & Attack28 June 2013 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracksA1Amen & Attack3:54B1Living on a Nightmare3:52", "Stossgebet", "Glaubenskraft"). The lyrics of the band are characterized by the treatment of Christianity and ancient Romanian legends. Powerwolf, however, do not consider themselves a religious band, but rather call themselves spiritual. When asked if he was a Christian or a Satanist, Matthew Greywolf answered: "I am a metalist, a metal fan. Metal is my religion. Look at all these people, what unites them? I can tell you, it's the fucking metal." In one of the interviews, Matthew is quoted saying:

Some people are confused because we never make a point of saying the silly words of which side we are on. A lot of people ask us, "Are you Satanists? Are you Christians?" And we never say anything about that, and we never will, because in what we do in Powerwolf, it's not important what we as individuals believe or stand for. We sometimes describe religious history, we sometimes write about Satanism, Catholicism, or whatever, but we never judge anything. I think on one side, this is confusing people, but on the other side, a lot of people do understand that we only describe or write lyrics about something, not to deliver a message.

Live performances

Audience engagement, and pyrotechnics are important parts of Powerwolf's stage show. The vocalist Attila Dorn often speaks directly to the audience and engages them in various activities, such as singing or shouting, before announcing the next song. The band calls their concerts a "heavy metal mass". Their stage setup was designed by Matthew Greywolf.

Current

Benjamin "Matthew Greywolf" Buss – lead guitar (2004–present)
David "Charles Greywolf" Vogt – bass, rhythm guitar (2004–present)
Christian "Falk Maria Schlegel" Jost – keyboards (2004–present)
Karsten "Attila Dorn" Brill – vocals (2004–present)
Roel van Helden – drums (2011–present)

Live

Dom R. Crey - lead guitar (2026)
Markus Pohl – lead guitar (2016–2025)
Fabian Schwarz – lead guitar (2012)

Former

Stefan "Stéfane Funèbre" Gemballa – drums (2004–2010)
Tom Diener – drums (2010–2011)