Leatherwolf is an American heavy metal band that formed in Huntington Beach, California in 1981. They split up in 1992, but reunited in 1999. The group is also nicknamed the "Triple Axe Attack" for pioneering the use of a 3-guitar line-up in heavy metal.
Original line-up included:
- Michael Olivieri (vocals, guitar)
- Geoff Gayer (guitar)
- Carey Howe (guitar)
- Paul Carman (bass)
- Dean Roberts (drums).
The band released an eponymous 1984 five-song EP, produced by Randy Burns. Germany's Steamhammer/SPV label released the EP in 1984, upgraded to a full-fledged album, in 1985, titled "Leatherwolf", while Heavy Metal America, who had the rights for Great Britain, issued it as Endangered Species", so named after one of the songs on the album.
In 1986, Matt Hurich left to join Stryper and was replaced by Paul Carman, formerly of Black Sheep. The band signed a new major label record deal with Island Records, and released the confusingly titled, Kevin Beamish produced "Leatherwolf" in 1987. For 1989's "Street Ready" album, recorded in the Bahamas, the band kept on Beamish as producer, but asked the German expatriate Michael Wagener for the mix
Leatherwolf has gone through multiple vocalists over the past decade or more. Original vocalist Michael Olivieri quit the band after the release of the ""Wide Open" (1999) live album and was replaced by vocalist Chris Adams who in turn recorded a demo with the band in 2002. Adams was later let go when Mike Olivieri rejoined and he also recorded a demo with the band in 2003. Mike Olivieri quit once again and Racer X vocalist Jeff Martin was brought in to record yet another demo in 2004. These are known as "Demo 2002", "Demo 2003" and "Demo 2004".
Martin also left and was replaced by Wade Black of Seven Witches fame. Black eventually sang on the final product which materialized as the album ""World Asylum". Ironically Black also left the band after the album's release and a small tour. Mike Olivieri has returned to complete the original line-up and is re-recording the vocals for the "World Asylum" album.
Original members Carey Howe and Michael Olivieri returned in 2007 and Leatherwolf re-issued World Asylum with Olivieri's vocals in place of Wade Black as New World Asylum, again mixed by Hansen. In the fall of 2007, Leatherwolf embarked on a short European tour, highlighted by a headline appearance at the 9th edition of Germany's Keep It True festival. Guitarist Geoff Gayer was let go at the end of the trip[10] and replaced by Greg Erba with whom the band lensed a video clip for "Dr. Wicked (Rx O.D.)", with Karpis Maksudian at the helm once again. It would be included on the Monsters of Metal Vol. 6 video compilation by Nuclear Blast.
By mid-2009, Leatherwolf were said to be writing for a new studio album and shared a bill with Anthrax, Saxon, Overkill, Anvil, and Metal Church at the third annual Rocklahoma festival on July 9, 2009. Michael Olivieri's solo album, Goodbye Rain, was released in December 2009.
In early December 2013, the band announced the release of their ""Unchained Live" album, the first to feature the new guitar duo of Rob Math and Greg Erba. In late May 2015, former members Carey Howe, Geoff Gayer and Wade Black announced that they were working on a new Leatherwolf studio album for a late fall release. Drummer Dean Roberts and vocalist/guitarist Michael Olivieri, original members of the band's current line-up, countered by issuing a statement laying claim to sole legal ownership of the name Leatherwolf. Howe and Gayer eventually settled on the name Haunt of Jackals and released their debut album, "The Chosen", in January 2017 which also included Patrick Guyton handling the bass tracks.
In early January 2017, it was announced that guitarist Joey Tafolla had joined Leatherwolf in place of Greg Erba. The band parted ways with Tafolla six months later due to scheduling conflicts, with 21-year old Luke Man stepping in and taking part in the 2017 UK tour, Leatherwolf's first British live dates in some 28 years. The band would play their first Southern California show with Man now a full band member on November 18 at the Slidebar in Fullerton, CA sharing a bill with Odin.
On February 11, 2019, Leatherwolf announced that they had parted ways with lead vocalist and original member Michael Olivieri for reasons unknown. On August 1, 2019, the band officially introduced Keith Adamiak as their new lead vocalist, and announced the return of guitarist Geoff Gayer and bassist Paul Carman, in place of Luke Man and Patrick Guyton, respectively.
On May 8, 2022, a line-up comprising Keith Adamiak, Rob Math, Luke Man, Dean Roberts, former Michael Schenker Group guitarist/keyboardist Wayne Findlay, and fill-in bassist Brice Snyder, a one-time band mate of Man in Railgun, appeared at the M3 Festival in Columbia, MD, unveiling the band's latest incarnation.
On July 14, 2022, the group released a lyric video for a new song, "Hit the Dirt", and also announced that their new album, ""Kill the Hunted", would be released later in the year. A second lyric video for "The Henchman", with a lead guitar special guest appearance by Whitesnake's Joel Hoekstra, went online on September 13, 2022 and November album release dates were announced for North and South America, Europe, and Japan. The new album, recorded with the aid of session bassist, Barry Sparks, was supported with a promotional video for the title track, "Kill The Hunted".
On July 18, 2023, the band announced an August 18 release date for the "Kill The Hunted" vinyl edition and premiered a performance video for the vinyl bonus track, "Thunder (MMXXII)", a remake of the 1989 Street Ready album cut, also made available as a digital single. The release was celebrated with an August 23 headline show at the Whisky A Go-Go in Hollywood, CA.
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