From fresh-faced teenaged years fronting glam-metal outfit Narcissus to punk rocker with Agitators and Division 4, he's also rocked hard with the likes of local legends Thunderchilde, Roxberg and Stateline.

A horror motorbike smash nearly ended his career, with doctors forced to remove his left leg at the knee and rebuild his hand bone by bone.
But the Wolf (aka Andy Mott) is now very definitely back on the prowl with a new album out under the name of Engine Of Excess.

Literally a one-man band, he's responsible for all song-writing, instruments, programming, mixing and mastering on the album called God, The Devil and Trinity Black.

It's a deliciously-dark slice of gothy rock that should put a pointy-tooth smile on the faces of the black-clad legions.

Opening with Razorblade Arcade's dramatic cry for help, Wolf uses characters to add dialogue, screams and even news bulletins of grisly goings-on to tie the songs together and expand their context.

It means the album feels like a gothed-out version of Queensryche's Operation Mindcrime concept collection.

And while some from dark-rock fraternity push the aural envelope – with vocals either higher than Amy Winehouse or just the gutteral grunts of a recalcitrant teenager – Wolf proves he can sing as well as play.

Mr Wolf certainly knows a riff when it bites him, as Lower Than Bones kicks the dirt off Marc Bolan's coffin with a T-Rex style rock out.

Elsewhere there are touches of the east on Towers of Silence, while Ghosts recalls the dead spirit of the 80's with a hint of Bowie in the vocal delivery.

If you like your music dark and full of bite, Wolf will leave you howling for more.

PHILFY PHIL

To order copies of God, The Devil and Trinity Black, visit Wolf's websites at www.engineofexcess.co.uk and www.myspace.com/myengineofexcess.