Wildestarr is the metal incarnation of vocalist/keyboard player London Wilde and
Vicious Rumors bassist Dave Starr. Dave also handles guitar and Jim Hawthorne is behind the drums. The music is a flashback to the eighties.
Vicious Rumors,
Crimson Glory and early
Queensrÿche are not too far off when trying to describe Wildestarr's music, however, the band manage to create their own sound and present their debut with a conviction which shows great promise.
The production gives the album a unique sound. There is a hazy sort of feel to the music which often results in a claustrophobic atmosphere. It may take some time getting used to the sound since it can feel monotone and lacking in depth at first. But with time this metallic retro sound ends up suiting the songs very well.
Rose in the Dark and
Arrival open the disc in a strong way. Solid drive and convincing atmosphere respectively with strong melodies tying the songs together. Especially
Arrival has a brilliant entry to its chorus.
Other favorites include
In This World,
Nevermore and
Generation Next.
If I hadn't known it I would never have guessed that it was a woman singing this when I heard the opening track. London Wilde has an incredibly high pitch voice with an impressive amount of power. However, her biggest asset is the superb atmosphere her voice brings. She often hits a certain mid-range note which is very effective. The closest comparison I can think of is a mutation of Geoff Tate and Rob Halford, both in their early years with a bit of Wade Black thrown in as well.
London Wilde's performance is great but erratic on a couple of songs.
Rise drags the album down. Here Wilde's vocals soar out of the stratosphere but instead of impressing they sound forced and quickly become grating on the ears. It's too much. I felt a hint of the same problem I had with Wade Black on
Crimson Glory's Astronomica, which I found almost unlistenable due to all the emotionless screaming.
The poignant Carl Albert tribute
Voice in the Silence is touched by the same problem. Though it is well written and contains some great passages it is let down by a chorus section which was probably meant to resonate a cry of sadness but ends up more like an agonizing wail because too much emphasis is put on reaching an insanely high note instead reaching the right feeling.
The songwriting through the record is good with several songs being less than straightforward and holding small surprises along the way. The songs are not all immediately captivating but they grow with time and eventually arrive. The guitar work carries the music in a great way and the drums provide a solid backbone.
I hope to see the band polish some of their rough edges and look forward to see what they come up with next. As it is, Arrival is a good album and a very promising debut.
Written by
Steen Friday, December 18, 2009
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