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.
The Way I Feel
Leatherwolf Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can see me
Tell me what's real
Or just set me free
Nothing at all
Will ever be the same
When you need my touch
Whoa-whoa-whoa-oh
Night after night
With your golden glare
The candle of flame
I'm lost in your stare
I'll be there for you
Just let me know where
Hold on tight and never let go
(Forever)
My memories of you last
(Forever)
Do you feel the same?
(No one can feel)
The way I feel you now
(No one can feel)
The way I feel your love
Whoa-oh
Ooh-ooh
You're always out late
To watch the sunrise
The light on your face
As you look to the sky
At last we're alone
I see the love in your eyes
Hold on tight and never let go
(Forever)
My memories of you last
(Forever)
Do you feel the same?
(No one can feel)
The way I feel you now
(No one can feel)
The way I feel your love
(No one can feel)
The way I feel you now
(No one can feel)
The way I feel your love
Oh
Yeah-heh-heh-heh
Ahh!
I'm feeling so empty
So empty inside
When you're not here with me
To light up my life
I said I will love you
So stay by my side
Hold on tight and never let go
(Forever)
My memories of you last
(Forever)
I still feel the same?
(No one can feel)
The way I feel you now
(No one can feel)
The way I feel your love
(No one can feel)
The way I feel you now
(No one can feel)
The way I feel your love
Oh, feel your love
No one can feel
The way I feel you and your love
The lyrics of the song "The Way I Feel" by Leatherwolf seems to be about a deep and passionate love, where one person can see and feel the other person, but the other person cannot see them. The singer seems to be asking for clarity about their relationship, whether it is real or if they should let go. The lyrics suggest a sense of longing and being lost without the other person, as well as a desire to hold on tight and never let go. The chorus amplifies the feeling of deep love and connection, stating that no one can feel the way they feel about each other.
The verse "Night after night, with your golden glare, the candle of flame, I'm lost in your stare" could mean that the singer is captivated by the other person's beauty and energy. The line "You're always out late to watch the sunrise, the light on your face, as you look to the sky" could symbolize hope and new beginnings. The last verse "I'm feeling so empty, so empty inside, when you're not here with me, to light up my life. I said I will love you, so stay by my side" indicates the singer's need for the other person to complete them.
In summary, the song seems to be about a love that is intense and meaningful, where the singer is unable to let go of their feelings and desires.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't see you
I am unable to understand your true self
You can see me
You have the ability to see through me
Tell me what's real
Reveal to me what is authentic or truthful
Or just set me free
Allow me to be liberated from the truth or from you entirely
Nothing at all
No thing, no situation, no person in motion
Will ever be the same
The past, the present, and the future cannot be identical
When you need my touch
When you desire for my physical or emotional closeness
Call out my name
Express your need for me by invoking my name
Night after night
Every evening, not one exception
With your golden glare
With your brilliant, shining light
The candle of flame
Wax torch burning aggressively
I'm lost in your stare
I'm disoriented and absorbed in your fixed gaze
I'll be there for you
I promise to be with you when you require my presence
Just let me know where
Just communicate the place or the circumstances where you want me to be with you
Hold on tight and never let go
Grasp firmly and never loosen your hold
(Forever)
Endlessly into the future
My memories of you last
Remembrances of you endure over time
Do you feel the same?
Do you experience the identical emotional condition?
(No one can feel)
No one is able to sense
The way I feel you now
The way I experience the sentiment towards you at this moment
The way I feel your love
The way I perceive your fondness or passion
You're always out late
You frequently stay outside until late hours
To watch the sunrise
To witness the sun's first appearance in the morning
The light on your face
The glow shining on your face
As you look to the sky
When you gaze upwards towards the heavens
At last we're alone
Finally, we are left by ourselves
I see the love in your eyes
I perceive the love or affection reflected in your gaze
I'm feeling so empty
I'm highly saddened and unfulfilled
So empty inside
So mentally barren and uninspired
When you're not here with me
When you are absent from my company
To light up my life
To bring pleasure or vivacity to my existence
I said I will love you
I promised I would cultivate love for you
So stay by my side
Therefore, please linger near me
Oh, feel your love
Oh, sense your love
No one can feel
No one has the ability to experience
The way I feel you and your love
The way I perceive you and your sentiments of love
Contributed by Josiah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
SuperEvilelvis
Probably my favorite song on the album, the guitars and the solos are awesome!
puckdropper27
I love this album so much.. Haven't heard it in over ten years and still know every word to every song.. so great.. timeless fucking genius. so glad I saw them live.
Billy Furl
I'm envious.
puckdropper27
I saw them here in Austin Tx at the backroom on Riverside.. such a great small venue.. doesn't exist anymore, but saw some great shows there.. Warrant before they were big, of course Dangerous Toys, and Paul Diano the original singer of Iron Maiden.. I absolutely loved Leatherwolf. . such a great sound for the times.. still sounds amazing today!!! Thank you for your reply, my love songs.
my love songs
puckdropper27 I envy you! I have been a Leatherwolf fan since 1987, and wish i saw them live!
puckdropper27
I think it was early 90's actually. It was at the Backroom in Austin Tx on riverside drive.. unreal show in a small venue.. was able to catch Warrant there also before they made it big.. great memories.
Vincent Odell
Did you see them live back in the 80s?
Andy Wood
I don’t care what anyone says. This is one of the greatest heavy metal albums ever. It just has this atmosphere about it.
Lucas de Oliveira
O hino do Heavy metal!
Vanguard
wow this is fantastic