W.E.T. Earthrage cd review

March 2017 Frontiers Records Srl released Eclipse Monumentum,Night Ranger Don't Let Up and One Desire's debut album on one day and in my opinion it wasn't bettered all year well in March 2018 they have done it again.

FM's Atomic Generation I have already rave reviewed and on March 23rd sees the release of Melodic rock super group W.E.T.'s long awaited 3rd studio album and the follow up to 2013's Rise Up cd.

Anyone who's been lost in space the band W.E.T. are made up of Robert Sall on keys (being the W as he's in Work Of Art),Erik Martensson on guitar,bass and vocals and Magnus Henriksson on guitar (both being in Eclipse so that's the E) and Jeff Scott Soto on vocals (that's the T as in Talisman) and joined by drummer Robban Back formerly of Eclipse.

5 long years but with the rise of Eclipse and Jeff's solo work,S.OT.O. and now Sons Of Apollo it's amazing they have found the time.But thankfully for us they have and with Erik acting as producer they have put together 11 tracks of melodic rock heaven full of big guitar's,big vocals and even bigger choruses.

Having lived with it for 12 days now the choruses,melody lines are all firmly imprinted in my brain and they aren't leaving anytime soon.

Eclipse's Monumentum was the album of the year for me last year and this will be on many many end of year best of list's.When you see the daily new's you need a lift and listening to this it's a ray of sunshine and makes you want to sing along and raise your fist in the air to the choruses time and again.

First single Watch The Fire and after a strummed electric riff and keys intro Robban start's a thumping drum rhythm as Magnus's guitar riff kicks in with Robert's keys moulding well to it.Erik sings the first few lines before Jeff takes over.As we get it to the chorus it explodes with a huge multi layered vocal and backing vocal's.
Second verse Erik and Jeff trade lines and if your not singing along already check your pulse as your dead.Magnus's guitar solo as many he does wipes it's feet at the door and never over stay's it's welcome with his melodic tone superb.
Whoa whoa's fill the outro along side the chorus and you just want to press play again.

Burn sees a big guitar riff fighting to be heard with Robert's keys dipping in and out.When the verse start's it's a stop start guitar riff with keys not so prevalent and into another huge Jeff chorus with more backing vocal's only adding to the depth.The great production is shown well on this track with Erik's bass visible with Robban driving the song to new heights.3 minute's in and after a short acoustic interlude Robban crashes in and Magnus get's a lengthy guitar solo in the outro showing his speed and dexterity and class.

Kings On Thunder Road is wonderful.Huge bouncing guitar riff and drum rhythm that dip's for the verse with swirling keys in the mix too before the chorus takes us to another planet.Jeff sings in a slightly lower tone with no loss of melody with the backing vocal's only adding to a song that would have blown radio and MTV sky high back in the day.One for the top down in the car singing along even if you can't put the top down!!The melody is heavenly.Oh please some live show's for this one would be amazing.

Elegantly Wasted sees Jeff showing off his range in the intro with Robert's keys going all Beatles on us.The band kick in for the chorus with the pace a bit slower and Jeff again in a lower register on another chorus with star dust all over it.More whoa whoa's as an acoustic short guitar solo play's out.

Urgent start's with Magnus's guitar riff and Robert's keys before they dip out for the first verse but back in for the chorus with Robban and Erik's bass giving it such depth as Jeff hit's the heights on another great chorus.

Calling Out Your Name has Jeff and Robert on the intro and your thinking ballad.Beautiful melody line that sees the band come in at the chorus and off we go with guitar's and drum's high in the mix but out for the second verse as key's get their chance to shine.More whoa whoa's as Magnus cut's loose.

Heart Is On The Line has Robert key's setting the acoustic guitar's and Jeff's vocal melody and range wonderful on a mid paced ballad with Magnus adding some electric guitar flourishes.The huge second chorus will see arms aloft and swaying as more whoa whoa's punctuate the air.Lengthy outro with all the band joining in on the chorus.

I Don't Wanna Play That Game is a mid paced rocker with guitar melody line and a pure melodic heaven moment in Jeff's chorus that light's up any day with Erik joining in too before Jeff and Erik trade lines.Another made for radio chorus.

The Burning Pain Of Love sees the pace drop to a bass and drum track intro with Jeff over the top before Magnus's guitar blows the doors off with a wonderful chorus with multi layered backing vocal's helping the melodic bliss on the road to perfection.Magnus gets the outro with some guitar ad libbing.

The Never Ending Retraceable Dream ends the cd in style with the song built around swirling keys and Jeff's held note chorus with the backing vocal's taking the lead as they trade with him.Magnus again enjoying the outro with his trade mark guitar runs.

W.E.T. with Earthrage extend their melodic legacy and we can only hope for some live dates if schedule's allow as this needs to be heard on stages worldwide.

Superb.