Now and again, a record pops in out of nowhere and blows you away. That’s become less and less common because of how damn much music is out there to consume, and as a music critic who gets bombarded with new albums (many of which I never even get to hear), finding one of those breakthrough efforts is harder to accomplish. So you tend to remember those gems.

One of those that leveled me last year was the first full-length from Minneapolis black metal/hardcore/crust sludgers Wolvhammer called “Black Marketeers of World War III,” released by Init Records. Not only did the album name stick out as both foreboding and darkly sarcastic, but the band name stood out as well. That’s not easy to do when part of your moniker has something to do with wolves, because there have been so many of those over the years.  But Wolvhammer? That sounds like something my dog would want when he’s in hot pursuit of the cat. In an interview with Decibel last year, the band described the awesomeness of wolves and their adoration for Hellhammer as what’s behind their name. Nothing pretentious or ridiculous. Just an honest, awesome, pure heavy metal name. Same with the band.

The band is getting ready to release their sophomore effort and first for Profound Lore on Oct. 25. The new platter is called “The Obsidian Plains,” and if you’re wondering how that smoldering bastard is going to sound, you can get a sample by visiting the link below. The label released “Writhe,” the first track from the record, and if you were into “Black Marketeers,” you’ll probably be pretty psyched when you hear this thing. This record sounds like it’s going to be a beast, and we still have two months to wait before it drops. Patience is a virtue. It also is not something I practice well.

To hear “Writhe,” go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/mp3/WOLVHAMMER_Writhe.mp3

If this is the first you’re reading about Wolvhammer, or if you just want a taste of their earlier work, you can grab their first two EPs “Rich With Bloodfuel” and “Dawn of the 4^th” for free from the band. That link’s below for your downloading pleasure. We’ll certainly have more about “The Obsidian Plains” in the future, especially once we get our hands (even if those hands are digital) on the thing. So, please do stop back.

To download the EPs, go here: http://www.wolvhammer.blogspot.com/

For more on the band, go here: http://www.facebook.com/Wolvhammer?sk=info

For more on the label, go here: http://www.profoundlorerecords.com/